Palm oil imports to Russia increased by 59% per month

In February 2016, Russia increased the import of palm oil by 59% compared to the same month of last year - up to 99.8 thousand tons. This is evidenced by the data of Rosstat, published on April 20.

In January, the import of palm oil decreased in annual terms by 22% to 50.6 thousand tons. In general, over the first two months of this year, the import of palm oil increased by 17.7% to 150 thousand tons.

According to Rosstat, in February, the import of coconut (cooperative) oil and oil to Babass also increased by 97.1% to 8.5 thousand tons (in January-February-69.6% to 13.5 thousand tons). At the same time, the import of sunflower and cotton oil in February fell by 19.5% to 0.1 thousand tons, in January-February-by 15.7% to 0.2 thousand tons.

For comparison, throughout 2015, the import of palm oil in the Russian Federation increased by 25.8% to 889 thousand tons.

Earlier on February 20, the Minister of Agriculture Alexander Tkachev said that the Ministry of Agriculture was proposed to introduce mandatory labeling of products that contain a replacement of milk fat (often palm oil is used instead). He added that the ministry consider it advisable to significantly increase fines for the lack of such a marking - from 50 thousand to 8 million rubles, as well as suspend the work of unscrupulous manufacturers for up to three months. In October last year, Tkachev said that the Ministry of Agriculture declared war on palm oil in food products.

At the end of February, the Rosselkhoznadzor estimated the share of falsifications in the Russian dairy market at 11%, and for some types of products - 50%.