Surat, March 17 : BJP MP from Surat Lok Sabha constituency, Mukesh Dalal, has raised alarm over a sharp rise in soybean oil imports from Nepal, which he claims is being facilitated by China.

Speaking on Sunday during the ongoing Budget session of the Parliament under Rule 377, Dalal highlighted how China is exporting soybean oil to Nepal, which is then re-exported to India, exploiting the zero-duty access granted under the Nepal-India Trade Treaty of 2009.

The BJP leader revealed that in the last few months, particularly the last four months of 2024, soybean oil imports from Nepal have surged 14-fold, while the overall import of the commodity in India has risen by only 13 per cent.

He expressed concern that this dramatic increase is hurting Indian oil producers and soybean farmers, who are struggling to compete with the influx of cheaper imports.

Addressing the media, Dalal pointed out that Nepal itself is a marginal producer of soybean oil and does not consume refined soybean oil domestically.

"This is a clear case of China using Nepal as a transit point to flood the Indian market with cheap soybean oil, taking advantage of the duty-free access provided under the trade treaty," he said.

Dalal urged the Central government to take immediate action to curb this practice and implement measures to protect the interests of Indian farmers.

"This situation is causing heavy losses to Indian soybean farmers and oil producers. I have requested the government to investigate the matter and introduce necessary safeguards to prevent such exploitation," he added.

The issue has sparked concern within the agricultural community, as soybean farmers across India have been facing declining prices and rising competition from imported oils.

Experts believe that the misuse of the trade treaty is not only harming local producers but also affecting the country's self-sufficiency in edible oil production.

/IANS