TDZ digs deep into the Edible oil sector and analyses with data,facts, policies and all that’s relevant.It sums up so convincingly—“India's edible oil story is really a story about trade-offs. We want affordable cooking oil for our massive population, but we also want food security and reduced import dependence. We want to support domestic farmers, but we also need to keep inflation in check.”
One factor is that India’s per capita edible oil consumption has nearly tripled in the last two decades, from just 8.2 kg in 2001 to 23.5 kg—nearly double the limit of 12 kg recommended by the Indian Council of Medical Research,escalating the country’s dependence on imports and deepening public health concerns related to obesity and non-communicable diseases.
TDZ rightly reminds us—Even our HON.Prime Minister Modi spoke about it, asking people to reduce their edible oil consumption by 10%,.
The other article—India, a unique success story in solar energy—details everything about how did India pull off a solar boom without the money everyone assumed was necessary?Thank you, TDZ for such well research !
“Now, this system might help in meeting production targets faster, but those are mere numbers. What also matters is whether we achieve them through greater technological efficiency. However, such a system discourages startups and patient foreign capital from entering, stifling innovation“
So just to compare, this type of innovation is called as “creating a category” and tbh without state pushing it at the start, I don’t see how small startups can really innovate.
Take for example Space. Given that we have a 50+ years of state led development through ISRO, we are at a place where lots of small firms are tinkering with rocket-tech and are dreaming high. And they are properly supported by ISRO. I heard the other day PM urging young population to try creating unicorns in this field given as a country we actually have an innovative edge. This is success for me.
Similarly these electrical distribution state owned companies like NTPC - need to slowly encourage private enterprises - initially as suppliers to them and then eventually even competitors for atleast new types of energy distribution.
In this era of AI revolution, the energy needed to power the Gpu’s and building huge data-centers have opened up a behemoth space for innovation.
If India doesn’t do this, our electrical and electronic engineers would have to keep studying software and work IT jobs. 😅🤷🏻♂️
Hey Abhijeet, you're somewhat right - "creating a category" is also the story of Silicon Valley and Shenzhen that the state played a large hand in. But state industrial policy can also turn sour when funds end up going to the same big firms without encouraging market competition, and that's been happening in India for a very long time in different sectors. And it's not in the mandate of PSUs like NTPC to encourage private enterprises: that's something the government has to take the push on.
For story #1, I wanted to add that the government has been trying to increase oilseed production since the late 80s (Technology Mission on Oilseeds (1986-87) ). They launched the Yellow Revolution, but it didn’t work because we reduced import tariffs, which flooded the market with cheaper edible oil. Additionally, the government’s existing procurement and price guarantees for wheat and rice, among other crops, led to the failure of Yellow Revolution.
Oil - it’s okay to import soybean oil but to not use GM soybean seeds to improve yield per hectare basis. We are nation of oxymoron’s.
It’s okay to feed cattle with GM Cottonseed oil cake and use that milk to feed the society but be scared to adopt GM seeds for improving yields.
It’s great to grow sugarcane, a water intensive crop in water depleted regions to produce ethanol to save on foreign currency even if that runs out our country dry.
It’s better to grow rice (a 2000 litre/ kg crop) and export it to china at 20 rs/kg i.e. we are exporting our water at Re 1 per 100 litres.
Hi Bhratesh, thanks for your comment. We have highlighted all these problems with our solar strategy in this piece: "licence raj", huge supply chain gaps, inefficiency in state spending. We aren't doing policy advocacy here, we're using someone else's research to tell a true story. That includes the achievements and the drawbacks.
We've also written plenty about GM seeds as well as how water-intensive ethanol is in two earlier pieces. Our job is to see the underlying logic (even if the costs of such logic are huge) of why we import soybean oil or grow sugarcane or grow solar using facts.
As any reader of ours would come to expect, we will always find and write about flaws even in a perceived success story. We would expect that people read beyond the headline. And even then, it's not entirely wrong - The International Energy Agency also has a positive outlook for Indian solar.
TDZ digs deep into the Edible oil sector and analyses with data,facts, policies and all that’s relevant.It sums up so convincingly—“India's edible oil story is really a story about trade-offs. We want affordable cooking oil for our massive population, but we also want food security and reduced import dependence. We want to support domestic farmers, but we also need to keep inflation in check.”
One factor is that India’s per capita edible oil consumption has nearly tripled in the last two decades, from just 8.2 kg in 2001 to 23.5 kg—nearly double the limit of 12 kg recommended by the Indian Council of Medical Research,escalating the country’s dependence on imports and deepening public health concerns related to obesity and non-communicable diseases.
TDZ rightly reminds us—Even our HON.Prime Minister Modi spoke about it, asking people to reduce their edible oil consumption by 10%,.
The other article—India, a unique success story in solar energy—details everything about how did India pull off a solar boom without the money everyone assumed was necessary?Thank you, TDZ for such well research !
I like this part of the analysis:
“Now, this system might help in meeting production targets faster, but those are mere numbers. What also matters is whether we achieve them through greater technological efficiency. However, such a system discourages startups and patient foreign capital from entering, stifling innovation“
So just to compare, this type of innovation is called as “creating a category” and tbh without state pushing it at the start, I don’t see how small startups can really innovate.
Take for example Space. Given that we have a 50+ years of state led development through ISRO, we are at a place where lots of small firms are tinkering with rocket-tech and are dreaming high. And they are properly supported by ISRO. I heard the other day PM urging young population to try creating unicorns in this field given as a country we actually have an innovative edge. This is success for me.
Similarly these electrical distribution state owned companies like NTPC - need to slowly encourage private enterprises - initially as suppliers to them and then eventually even competitors for atleast new types of energy distribution.
In this era of AI revolution, the energy needed to power the Gpu’s and building huge data-centers have opened up a behemoth space for innovation.
If India doesn’t do this, our electrical and electronic engineers would have to keep studying software and work IT jobs. 😅🤷🏻♂️
Hey Abhijeet, you're somewhat right - "creating a category" is also the story of Silicon Valley and Shenzhen that the state played a large hand in. But state industrial policy can also turn sour when funds end up going to the same big firms without encouraging market competition, and that's been happening in India for a very long time in different sectors. And it's not in the mandate of PSUs like NTPC to encourage private enterprises: that's something the government has to take the push on.
Hi everyone, thanks for writing.
For story #1, I wanted to add that the government has been trying to increase oilseed production since the late 80s (Technology Mission on Oilseeds (1986-87) ). They launched the Yellow Revolution, but it didn’t work because we reduced import tariffs, which flooded the market with cheaper edible oil. Additionally, the government’s existing procurement and price guarantees for wheat and rice, among other crops, led to the failure of Yellow Revolution.
https://www.nabard.org/hindi/auth/writereaddata/tender/2106212557Rural%20Pulse%20Issue%20XXXIV%20(1).pdf
Thanks for sharing :)
Oil - it’s okay to import soybean oil but to not use GM soybean seeds to improve yield per hectare basis. We are nation of oxymoron’s.
It’s okay to feed cattle with GM Cottonseed oil cake and use that milk to feed the society but be scared to adopt GM seeds for improving yields.
It’s great to grow sugarcane, a water intensive crop in water depleted regions to produce ethanol to save on foreign currency even if that runs out our country dry.
It’s better to grow rice (a 2000 litre/ kg crop) and export it to china at 20 rs/kg i.e. we are exporting our water at Re 1 per 100 litres.
We need to rethink what we are trying to achieve.
Solar -
DCR (domestic component required) MODULE (subsidy one) Rs 23~ 26/watt
Non DCR - Rs 14~15/ watt
Ultimately we are returning to Licence raj and Europeans are using cheap Chinese solar panels as garden hedge.
What a policy joke is being made of in our country and you people are justifying the false greatness of the Indian solar industry?
Hi Bhratesh, thanks for your comment. We have highlighted all these problems with our solar strategy in this piece: "licence raj", huge supply chain gaps, inefficiency in state spending. We aren't doing policy advocacy here, we're using someone else's research to tell a true story. That includes the achievements and the drawbacks.
We've also written plenty about GM seeds as well as how water-intensive ethanol is in two earlier pieces. Our job is to see the underlying logic (even if the costs of such logic are huge) of why we import soybean oil or grow sugarcane or grow solar using facts.
Headline speaks for itself
‘ India, a unique success story in solar energy ’
As any reader of ours would come to expect, we will always find and write about flaws even in a perceived success story. We would expect that people read beyond the headline. And even then, it's not entirely wrong - The International Energy Agency also has a positive outlook for Indian solar.
Great!