YGN palm oil wholesale reference rate flat for three straight weeks

The wholesale reference rate of palm oil for the Yangon market was set at K5,220 per viss this week starting from 13 May, similar to that of the previous two weeks, according to the Supervisory Committee on edible oil import and distribution. The reference rate remained unchanged in the past three consecutive weeks.
The Supervisory Committee on Edible Oil Import and Distribution under the Ministry of Commerce has been closely observing the FOB prices in Malaysia and Indonesia, adding transport costs, tariffs and banking services to decide the wholesale market reference rate for edible oil on a weekly basis.
Nonetheless, the market price is higher than the reference price.
To control overcharging, the Consumer Affairs Department under the Ministry of Commerce informed the consumers of lodging the complaints for overcharging through the call centre’s hotline in late August. The department urged consumers not to buy palm oil at high prices.
The committee notified that any person who is involved in price gouging and oil storage to attempt market manipulation will face legal action under the Essential Goods and Services Law.
The department is working together with the Myanmar Oil Dealers’ Association and the cooking oil importing companies to offer affordable rates of imported palm oil for consumers.
Complaints for overcharging can be lodged over hotline 1535 of the call centre of the Consumers Affairs Department or sent to the Facebook page of the department and the region and state departments concerned.
The domestic consumption of cooking oil is estimated at one million tonnes per year. The local cooking oil production is just about 400,000 tonnes. About 700,000 tonnes of palm oil are yearly imported through Malaysia and Indonesia to meet domestic demands. — NN/EM