Oil seed: Policy mismatch

When it comes to growing oil seeds, Andhra Pradesh with 75,000 acres of land under cultivation takes the lead in the country. India has traditionally been an importer of vegetable oils worth 13,000 crores every year. But last year's Budget tried to reverse the trend. The Budget proposed to make edible oils cheaper by exempting crude and refined edible oils from the additional CV duty of 4%. The customs duty on refined oils was slashed by 15 per cent.