25.02.2022 (www.hindustantimes.com) - New Delhi, February 25, 2022: With the ever-increasing population and the government’s leading role in expanding sustainable palm oil farming domestically, India could lead the way in ensuring the sustainable production and consumption of palm oil. Oil palm is more efficient, uses less land, needs fewer pesticides, and less fertilizer and has the potential to help with the food security factor for a populous country like India. These are some of the insights presented at a virtual panel discussion on the theme, ‘Sustainable Palm Oil and its Role in Ensuring Food Security in India’, organised by the Council of Palm Oil Producing Countries (CPOPC) in collaboration with Hindustan Times, on February 22nd.
The session deliberated upon the benefits of palm oil farming and how Indian could lead the way in sustainable production and consumption of palm oil to cater to its increasing population.
Eminent industry experts, Dr BV Mehta, Executive Director, The Solvent Extractors’ Association of India (SEA), Tan Sri Datuk Dr Yusof Basiron, Executive Director, CPOPC, Dr Suresh Motwani, General Manager, Edible Oil, Solidaridad and HE Ina Hagniningtyas Krisnamurthi, Ambassador-designate of the Republic of Indonesia for the Republic of India and the Kingdom of Bhutan, discussed the benefits of sustainable palm oil consumption including its role in meeting the vital SDG goals and providing employment and aiding food security in India.
India, the world's leading vegetable oil buyer, had imported 83.21 lakh tons palm oil in 2020-2021 (Nov-Oct) and the share of palm oil is more than 60 per cent of the country's total vegetable oil imports.
