Minister Tummala Urges Centre to Increase Import Duty to Protect Oil Palm Farmers

Telangana Agriculture Minister Tummala Nageswara Rao has reiterated that protecting the interests of domestic oil palm farmers is the government's top priority. He warned that cheaper crude palm oil imports from other countries could adversely affect local farmers. To safeguard their interests, he has once again urged the Central Government to restore the import duty on crude palm oil to its earlier level of 44%.

Tummala said Union Minister Pralhad Joshi had recently assured the Telangana government through a letter that its concerns over oil palm import duties would be taken into consideration. He pointed out that the Centre had gradually reduced the import duty on crude palm oil, bringing it down to 11% in September this year. In a statement issued on Thursday, the minister said he had written several letters to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other Union Ministers and had also met them in person to explain the difficulties faced by domestic farmers and seek measures to protect their interests.