Russia-Ukraine war effect: Cooking oil scarcity, price shoot up in Andhra Pradesh
India Today
The AP Vigilance & Enforcement department inspected 1,890 places from March 6 to 19. In the raids, it was discovered that people had illegally hoarded edible oils and pulses, driving up prices, as a result of the Russia-Ukraine war.
The Andhra Pradesh Vigilance & Enforcement department is dealing with a peculiar situation. As a result of the Russia-Ukraine war, the state is witnessing a sharp surge in the price of cooking oil.
The department is conducting surprise checks on unauthorised hoarding and trading of palm oil and other edible oils.
“To control the price of palm oil, edible oils, oil seeds and pulses in the market, surprise inspections were conducted at random by the V&E officials from March 6 to March 19 under the 1890 Wholesalers/Retail traders, Supermarkets and Manufacturing Units etc,” said SV Bagchi, Additional Directorate General of the Andhra Pradesh Vigilance and Enforcement Division.
“Out of 1890 inspections, 59 cases under section 6A of EC Act were filed on excess stock limits, 889 cases under the relevant provision of Legal Metrology Act 2009 and 38 cases of Legal Metrology packaged commodities rules 2011 were filed for selling at a higher price,” informed additional DG.
He further said that hoarders also faced cases under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. A total of seven criminal cases were also filed by the department.
The V&E department has issued a warning against wholesale /retail traders, supermarkets and manufacturing units etc. to prevent illegal hoarding of palm oil, edible oils, and other commodities which causes a hike in prices and creates artificial scarcity. They have said if caught, appropriate action on licensing conditions, apart from criminal action, will be taken.
Andhra Pradesh imports a large quantity of sunflower oil from Ukraine. The Black Sea region, including Ukraine and Russia, supplies 80% of the world’s crude and sunflower oils. India alone imports 70% of sunflower oil from Ukraine.
