Are we mindful of the edible oil revolution?

India’s edible oil consumption stands at number two globally, behind China where seventy percent of this demand is met through imports, comprised primarily of palm oil, soybean and sunflower oil. In fact, palm oil leads to almost 40 percent of the total edible oil demand in India.

Vegetable oil has been an indispensable part of Indian households and kitchens, its origins traced to oil-seeds crushed in cold presses (Chekku in Tamil) driven by bullock carts and larger mechanical presses. The various regions of India showed a proclivity for a particular type of seed, with the North and East cultivating mustard, the South cultivating sesame and coconut, and both the South and West cultivating groundnut. Ghee made from milk was the other form of edible oil utilized primarily in sweets and food for special occasions. Now ghee is the undervalued champion and it is currently on the high streets of NYC for its fat burning and anti-ageing properties in a new name- clarified butter.

As the Indian edible oil industry moved from hydrogenated vegetable oil to solvent-extracted and refined oil, there was a rapid growth in demand and corresponding acreage of oil-seeds. At their peak, domestic oil-seeds production couldn’t meet the requirements. Post liberalization where the changes and reforms were initiated in 1991, of the country's economic policies, with the goal of making the economy more market and service-oriented, and expanding the role of private and foreign investment, however, there was a drastic surge in imports, growing profoundly. Also, globalization and digital connectivity has seen a shift in the mindset of urban India, promoting the so-called healthy eating and a balanced diet by names “heart-healthy”, “multi- health benefit”, “fortified” or otherwise beneficial for our bodies.

Consumption patterns have shifted rapidly since then as well, like palm oil, soybean and sunflower oil have become the preferred vegetable oils in the country- highlighting the olive oil, avocado oil being used predominantly, while groundnut, mustard, sesame, coconut and other local oils still manage to retain some share regionally. Nowadays, the leading oils are primarily imported in crude form and refined in the country before being packaged and sold.

A quality-conscious Indian population has driven the sales of branded packaged goods across the country, with edible oil leading the way. Packaged edible oil currently shares of over 30 percent of the packaged foods market. However, the per capita consumption still has potential to grow in India.

According to the Global Burden of Disease report (Source – Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation), 1.7 million Indians were killed by heart diseases in 2016, almost 10 percent of the global figure of 17.9 million. A study conducted by AIIMS and ICMR states that Indians under 30 are at risk from heart ailments. Since urban India, being well digitally influenced has started opting for healthier MUFA, i.e., monounsaturated fatty acids (olive oil, rice bran oil, canola oil, mustard oil, groundnut oil) and PUFA, i.e., polyunsaturated fatty acids (sunflower oil, safflower oil and corn oil) but all in refined forms claiming all healthy. Now, on a serious note the government, dieticians, doctors and celeb chefs must champion the cause of local oils and foods, like the west do for Olive oil but then, as they say, the truth will always find a way to show up no matter how much you hide it. So I guess we must sing the glories of our oils and foods before the West or the Weight loss industry does.