Members of Tamil Maanila Congress at the Erode Collectorate on Monday.
| Photo Credit: M. GOVARTHAN
The Erode urban district unit of the Tamil Maanila Congress (TMC) has urged the State government to replace palm oil supplied through ration shops with locally produced edible oils such as coconut oil, groundnut oil and safflower oil. The demand was made in the interest of public health as well as the welfare of farmers engaged in oilseed cultivation across Tamil Nadu, it said.
In a petition submitted to the district administration here on Monday, district president P. Vijayakumar pointed out that palm oil is currently being distributed through ration shops throughout the State. He appealed to the government to consider supplying edible oils produced within the state, stating that such a move would directly benefit lakhs of farmers and agricultural labourers dependent on oilseed farming and related activities.
Mr. Vijayakumar noted that encouraging the use of locally produced oils would strengthen the rural economy, promote self-reliance and reduce dependency on imported palm oil. He further stressed that coconut, groundnut and safflower oils are traditionally used in the State and are considered healthier for regular consumption.
He urged the district administration to forward the petition to the State government and take steps to facilitate appropriate action at the earliest.
State vice-president Vidiyal S. Sekar and executive committee member S.D. Chandrasekar were present during the submission of the petition.
Published – February 02, 2026 07:05 pm IST
