Palm oil wholesale reference price on steady rise

The wholesale reference price of palm oil in the Yangon market has been rising steadily, according to the Supervisory Committee on edible oil import and distribution.
The price plunged to K3,880 per viss (a viss equals 1.6 kilogrammes) in the second week of October. Then, the reference price has gradually risen to over K4,400 per viss in the last week of November.
The Supervisory Committee on edible oil import and distribution under the Ministry of Commerce has been closely observing the FOB prices in Malaysia and Indonesia including transportation cost, tariff and banking service, and issuing the wholesale market reference rate for edible oil on a weekly basis.
The reference prices of palm oil in the Yangon market were set at K4,425 per viss for this week from 28 November to 4 December.
In spite of the reference price, the current market price is too high.
If those edible oil retailers and wholesalers are found overcharging, storing inventory intentionally and attempting unscrupulous action to manipulate the market, they will face legal action under the Special Goods Tax Law, MoC released a statement.
The Ministry of Commerce is striving for consumers not to worry over the supply of edible oil. The ministry is also trying to secure edible oil sufficiency, supervise the market to offer reasonable prices to consumers and maintain price stability.
At present, mobile market trucks operated by oil importing companies, in coordination with Myanmar Edible Oil Dealers’ Association, were back to business in some townships on 17 July to offer palm oil at a subsidized rate. They sell palm oil at K4,600 per viss to consumers directly. However, there are limited sources of supply although they directly sell palm oil at a reference rate depending on the volume quota.
The domestic consumption of edible oil is estimated at 1 million tonnes per year. The local cooking oil production is just about 400,000 tonnes. To meet the oil sufficiency in the domestic market, about 700,000 tonnes of cooking oil are yearly imported through Malaysia and Indonesia. — NN/GNLM