May 13: India has once again banned the import of refined palm oil from Nepal. Nepalese industries have not been able to export the product after India’s Foreign Trade Directorate imposed the ban effective from Tuesday (May 12).

The directorate issued a circular to its subordinate bodies on Monday to halt the import of palm oil.

Earlier, India had imposed a similar ban on January 8 for about one and a half months. India eased the restriction to some extent in late February, allowing some of its companies to import refined palm oil from Nepal. But again, India banned the product citing SAFTA regulation, which requires certificate of origin of the product. In the circular, the directorate has ordered all the customs offices to seek the certificate of origin of palm oil from Nepali and Bangladeshi companies as the two countries are signatories to the SAFTA (South Asian Free Trade Agreement).