Over 150 oil mills closed in Bengal

Kolkata, Dec 14: More than 150 of about 500 mustard oil mills in West Bengal have remained closed for the past three years now for failing to withstand the "unfair and unparallel competition" from the importers of edible oil from Canada, Malaysia and Nepal.

Stating this here today, Bengal Oil Mills Association president Siddhinath Nandy said most of the oil mills in West Bengal and elsewhere in the country were passing through hard times for the past few years because of becoming non-competitive in terms of price and maintaining good quality of their products.

Squarely blaming the Central as well as the state governments for the present state of affairs in the indegenous oil industry, Mr Nandy regretted that several representations to the government by them had failed to bear fruits.

" We have tried to bring to the government's notice the extent of damage done on small and medium scale oil mills in the country in the face of stiff competition from abroad, but unfortunately no action has so far been taken to improve the situation, " Mr Nandy said.

He reiterated his appeal to the government, urging them either to impose a ban on the import of edible and palm oil from abroad or introduce stringent restriction on their import at much higher prices.

" Only such drastic steps could save the the country's moribund mustard oil industry besides ensuring proper means of livelihood to thousands of people associated with the trade, " the Oil Mills Association president pointed out.

He also demanded steps to increase the production of oil seeds in the state which presently catered only about three to four per cent of the total annual requirement.

Earlier, participating in the 118th Annual meeting of the Association renowed medical practitioner Samir Mukherjee explained the "benefits" of consuming limited quantity of mustard oil, as, he claimed,it was free from any major health hazard like cardio vascular diseases because of its components and strict quality control.

UNI