Mother Dairy Slashes Prices of Dhara Cooking Oil by Up to Rs 20/Litre

Mother Dairy has slashed the maximum retail prices (MRP) of its edible oils, sold under the Dhara brand, by Rs 15-20 per litre with an instant impact in line with the cutback in global prices.

Next week, the stock with the re-evaluated MRP is expected to hit the market.

Following the food ministry’s direction the reduction comes from the edible oil industry body Solvent Extractors’ Association of India, SEA concerning the need for a downward revision of the MRP of cooking oils.

According to the Mother Dairy spokesperson, the MRP of Dhara edible oils are being lessened by Rs 15-20 per litre across variants with an instant effect. This deduction is largely being done in varieties like rice bran oil, soyabean oil, groundnut oil, and sunflower oil on account of the decreased impact of the international markets and ease in the availability of domestic crops.

The MRP of Dhara refined soyabean oil (1 litre poly pack) has been lowered from Rs 170 to Rs 150, while the MRP of Dhara refined rice bran oil will now be Rs 170 per litre as against Rs 190 per litre earlier.

The company has re-evaluated the MRP of Dhara refined sunflower oil from Rs 175 to Rs 160 per litre.

The MRP of Dhara groundnut oil has been cut from Rs 255 to Rs 240 per litre.

Edible oil industry body, SEA had advised its members to lower MRP in line with the decreasing prices of edible oils.

During the last three months, it has discovered the details of the deduction in MRP so that the same could be informed to the food ministry.

Under the ‘Mother Dairy’ brand, the brand manufactures, markets and sells milk and milk products, including cultured products, ice cream, ghee and paneer.

Under the ‘Dhara’ brand, the company sells edible oils and fresh fruits & vegetables, under the ‘Safal’ brand, frozen vegetables & snacks, unpolished pulses, pulps & concentrates, etc.

It has hundreds of milk booths as well as Safal retail outlets in Delhi-NCR.

SEA said, “The Department of Food and Public Distribution regularly re-evaluate the price of edible oil across the nation. International prices have fallen sharply in the last 6 months and in the last 60 days especially, however local prices, in spite of bumper crops of soyabean, groundnut, and mustard, have not reduced in line with the international market.”

The association also said, “While most of the brands have slashed prices in the past but still the existing MRP of the packed edible oil in the market is not in line with the present prices as in the international market, i.e., the prices of edible oil (MRP) in the domestic market seems to be on the greater side considering the current market scenario.”

The department had advised SEA to notify the members to decrease the MRP on edible oils and pass on the benefits to consumers.