Are port curbs on edible oil imports desirable?
G. Chandrashekhar Mumbai , Aug. 27 MUCH on expected lines, the suggestion to impose port curbs on edible oil imports (Business Line, August 26) with the objective of closely monitoring arrivals so as not to compromise on both revenue and quality, has generated protests from some players in the vegetable oils industry. Those not in favour of such a change call the suggestion retrograde and claim that restrictions are anathema to the spirit of liberalisation and free trade. They point out how the trading interests of importers using small or minor ports would be hurt in relation to those using major ports. Additional transport cost is a factor to be reckoned with. It is also pointed out that facilities created through investments made by private parties in small ports (like say, Nagapattinam in Tamil Nadu) would be rendered idle if cargoes were channelled through bigger ports only. Without doubt, these arguments have some validity and are surely not untenable. But they are hardly the rea
