The department of food and public distribution (DFID) has issued show cause notices to some large edible oil companies for non-submission of mandatory monthly production data under the vegetable oil products, production and availability (VOPPA) order, 2025, despite repeated reminders.
“Such non-compliance constitutes a contravention of the VOPPA order, issued under section 3 of the essential commodities act, 1955,” according to an official statement on Wednesday.
Strengthening Oversight
To ensure real-time assessment of availability, production and imports of edible oils, the food ministry last year had amended the VOPPA order, 2011 which ensured mandatory registration of edible oil units, and declaration of their stock on a monthly basis.
The department has stated that similar show cause notices will be issued to all cooking oils units that are either not registered under the relevant framework or have failed to file mandatory returns, to ensure uniform compliance across the sector.
The order mandates monthly filing of returns on production, stocks, imports, dispatches, sales and consumption of various edible oil products, including crude and refined vegetable oils, solvent-extracted oils, blended oils, vanaspati, margarine and other notified products.
It stipulates compulsory registration of all manufacturers, processors, blenders and re-packers of edible oils on the national single window system and the specific portal of DFID, along with monthly submission of detailed production, stock and availability returns.
Nationwide Compliance
As part of a nationwide compliance drive, the food ministry had conducted inspection drives, including at Indore, to verify VOPPA registration, review the accuracy and timeliness of monthly returns, and as part of a broader plan to ensure transparency and effective monitoring of the edible oil sector, according to an official note. Inspections by DFID will be conducted in Haryana and Rajasthan this month.
Officials said the order ensures that the government has a robust understanding of the cooking oil supply situation, especially when Indian imports over 57% of its annual edible oil consumption.
The value of country’s import of edible oils – palm, soybean and sunflower – in 2024-25 oil year (November-October) rose by 22% to a record Rs 1.61 lakh crore on year, while volume of imports increased only marginally to 16.01 million tonne (MT),
In August, last year, the centre had notified a new regulatory framework for the edible oil industry aimed at increasing transparency, preventing supply distributions and ensuring fair prices to consumers.
It amended the existing 2011 order under section 3 of essential commodities act, 1955.