18/11/2007 (The Hindu), Thiruvananthapuram - State general secretary of the All India Kisan Sabha Sathyan Mokeri has urged the Centre to ban the import of palm oil as it will lead to steep fall in the price of coconut and coconut oil, adversely affecting the farmers of Kerala.

At a press conference here on Saturday, he questioned Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar’s contention that palm oil imports were to make good the shortage of edible oil in India.

Mr. Mokeri alleged that a powerful lobby had influenced the Centre in permitting unrestrained imports of palm oil from Singapore and Malaysia. The lobby was also working to have all restrictions lifted in the imports of soy bean from the United States and the European Union, he said.