PVMA urges govt to temporarily abolish import duty on edible oil

KARACHI: The Pakistan Vanaspati Manufacturers Association (PVMA) has called on the government to temporarily abolish the import duty on edible oil to provide relief to consumers.

The association warned that the sharp rise in global edible oil prices -- up by $200 per metric ton -- has made cooking oil and ghee increasingly unaffordable for the public.Sheikh Umer Rehan, chairman of PVMA, emphasised that ghee and edible oil are essential household items, but local prices have soared due to global market trends and import duties. “The recent surge in international prices has significantly impacted the affordability of these staples, hitting low-income households the hardest,” he said.Rehan urged the government to temporarily eliminate the duty on edible oil imports until global prices stabilise.