U San Lin, vice president of Myanmar Edible Oil Dealers’ Association, said blended product will not be detrimental to health because it is mixed under the regulatory limit, he said.

Myanmar Edible Oil Dealers’ Association held a meeting in the first week of March. One of the member reported about selling blended oil.

“Nowadays, the price of peanut and sesame are high. And the Chinese buyers give the farmers good price. But, we are not able to offer such price. We can make a profit if we sell K7000 per viss, thus it is not a viable price for the people,” U San Lin explained.

In the retailers market , palm oil is K2000 per viss, while peanut and sesame oil are around K6000 per viss.

In Myanmar, consumers rarely use pure peanut and sesame oil while for cooking.

“I have my own mill to produce edible oil. I divided two kinds of oil , the first is pure peanut oil and sesame oil. The second one is mixed oil. I tell my customers directly which one is pure and which one is mixed. The buyers can choose what they want,” an oil trader said on condition of anonymity.

If blended oil is allowed to be sold, the percentage of the mixture needs to be shown, the association said.

“I always buy peanut oil from the retailer shop. The shopkeeper always said the oil is not mixed with palm oil. But I think it’s the opposite. It is better for us if we get detailed information on the amount being mixed,” commented Daw Wah, a housewife from Thaketa township.

According the 2016 market research paper of Myanmar Edible Oil Millers Association, 70 percent of Yangonites consumes palm oil made to smell like peanut or sesame oil; 20pc consumes mixed oil; and 10pc uses pure peanut, sesame or sunflower oils.

Source: https://www.mmtimes.com/news/calls-sales-blended-cooking-oil-be-legalised.html