Ban on loose soybean oil sales to curb adulteration
As per the previous declaration, the government shut down the sale of loose soybean oil on Tuesday and started monitoring to implement the decision in the domestic market.
The decision was taken to ensure sufficient quantity and stop adulteration of the key cooking ingredient, according to the Directorate of National Consumers Right Protection (DNCRP).
DNCRP officials said edible oil companies have promised not to sell loose soybean oil in the local market in a recent meeting. In this regard, the responsibility for market supervision has been given to the DNCRP. This government agency will work with companies and shopkeepers to gradually reduce the sale of loose soybeans oil in the domestic market.
After visiting several markets, the Business Post correspondent saw that loose soybean oil was still available at the wholesale and retail level and many retailers are not even aware of the government ban.
The officials of different soybean oil refiners including TK group and Bashundhara, said that they have already stopped issuing delivery orders (DO) of loose soybean oil among the dealers and distributors due to a government order two to three days ago.
According to the business insiders, primarily the sale of only loose soybeans oil will remain banned in the wholesale and retail market and the sale of loose Palm oil will continue.
Many consumers alleged that traders sometimes sell palm oil identifying them as loose soybean oil and selling low-quality oil at high price rates. These allegations will be resolved after soybeans oil is sold fully packaged.
According to Bangladesh Food Safety Authority, the first initiative to stop the sale of loose soybean oil was taken by the Industries Ministry, and later the Commerce Ministry also joined. Discussions between different government agencies, including the Food Safety Authority, have suggested that the sale of loose soybean oil should be stopped as it triggers numerous health risks. So, the government earlier fixed a deadline of December last year for the traders to wrap up the sale 100 per cent but failed to fully implement the decision.
Redwanur Rahman, executive director of Bashundhara Foods and Beverages said, “We agree with the government’s decision, so we stopped selling loose soybean oil more than a year ago.” But loose oil holds more than 60 per cent market and no company has the capacity of 100 per cent bottling yet which may trigger a crisis in the local market, he said.
Shafiul Athar Taslim, director of TK Group said, “We stopped issuing delivery orders (DO) for bulk soybean oil three days back.”
General Secretary of Bangladesh Wholesale Edible Oil Traders Association, Abul Hashem said, “DNCRP has asked us halt sell of bulk but to stop completely we have to curb production in the mills first. If the mills are not closed, someone will sell them in the wholesale market eventually.”
Source Link: https://businesspostbd.com/trade/ban-on-loose-soybean-oil-sales-to-curb-adulteration
