ZCZC
BSS-30
EDIBLE-OIL-IMPORT
Edible oil import grows by 10 pc
DHAKA, Jan 16, 2019 (BSS) – The import of edible oil has been showing an
increasing trend in Bangladesh alongside other commodities resulting in 10
percent increase in import in 2018.
According to a statement of Malaysia Palm Oil Council, during January-
December period of 2018, import quantity of total oil and fat was over 29
lakh tonnes, which was an ever highest quantity imported in the country in a
year and about 10 percent higher compared to the corresponding period of
2017.
It said competitive price of major two vegetable oil including soybean
oil and palm oil in the international market together with steady economic
growth of the country contributed in the import of oils and fat. In the year
2017, total import of oil and fat was over 26 lakh tonnes.
During the period of 2018, palm oil dominated the edible oil market of
Bangladesh. In that year total import of palm oil and palm oil products was
over 17.2 lakh tonnes registering an increase by 17.40 percent compared to
the corresponding period of 2017.
Besides, the import volume of soybean oil in 2018 was little over 9.3
lakh tonnes, which registered an increase of 3.75 percent compared to Jan-
December of 2017.
Because of price advantage and market demand, import of palm oil retained
its leading position and dominance in the oil and fat market of Bangladesh
during 2018.
The total import quantity of palm oil constituted about 56.67 percent of
total import of oil and fat in 2018 against 53.91 percent in 2017.
It is expected that by 2019, total annual import of oil and fat would
cross the three million tonnes mark. Consumption of oil and fat in the
country is in increasing trend in pace with economic growth of the country.
Such trend is expected to continue in the coming years also as country’s
economy is growing steadily.
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