04/02/2026 (Observer Voice) - The Government of India has taken significant steps to increase regulatory control over the edible oil sector with the introduction of the Vegetable Oil Products, Production and Availability (Regulation) Amendment Order, 2025 (VOPPA Order, 2025). This newly amended order requires all manufacturers, processors, blenders, and repackers of edible oils to register on the National Single Window System (NSWS) and the VOPPA portal, ensuring that details about production, stock, and availability are submitted on a monthly basis.

Under the guidelines of the amended VOPPA Order, registered entities must provide comprehensive monthly reports that include information about production levels, stocks, imports, dispatches, sales, and consumption of edible oil products. This covers various items such as crude and refined vegetable oils, solvent-extracted oils, blended oils, vanaspati, and margarine. The objective of this regulatory framework is to foster transparency, facilitate informed policy-making, and enhance national food security across India.

Compliance Drives and Industry Engagement

To ensure adherence to these new regulations, the Department of Food and Public Distribution (DFPD) has launched a nationwide compliance initiative. As part of this effort, inspection drives have been conducted in key locations such as Karnal in Haryana and Jaipur in Rajasthan. These inspections aim to verify registrations on the NSWS/VOPPA as well as to assess the accuracy and punctuality of monthly returns. Engagements with industry stakeholders are also occurring to promote compliance and enhance monitoring of the edible oil sector.

Workshops and Capacity Building

In addition to enforcement measures, the DFPD is conducting workshops to enhance compliance capabilities among industry players. A recent workshop took place on January 30, 2026, in Jaipur, focusing on proper data reporting and the process for NSWS registration and VOPPA portal usage. Further workshops are slated in other states, with another session planned for February 16, 2026, in Rajkot, Gujarat, reflecting the region’s significant number of edible oil processing units.

Addressing Non-Compliance

Following recent inspections, several large edible oil companies have received Show Cause Notices due to their failure to submit the mandatory monthly production reports despite multiple reminders. These failures violate the VOPPA Order, 2025, enacted under Section 3 of the Essential Commodities Act, 1955. Companies have been warned that actions such as inspections and confiscations may be pursued under Section 6A of the same act, and they have one week to provide explanations to avoid potential consequences.

The DFPD has indicated that similar notices will be dispatched to any units that remain unregistered under the VOPPA framework or neglect to file required returns, promoting

uniform compliance across the industry. The DFPD will continue inspections as necessary to uphold these standards.

Through these initiatives, the Government of India emphasizes its commitment to enhancing transparency, accountability, and strict compliance within the edible oil sector, aiming to strengthen policy formulation and bolster national food security.

https://observervoice.com/india-tightens-edible-oil-regulations-for-enhanced-transparency-180088/