Govt to organise workshops for edible oil players for smooth implementation of new industry norms

New Delhi, Nov 12 (PTI) To ensure smooth implementation of new norms related to vegetable oil production under amended VOPPA 2025 order, the Union food ministry will organise a series of capacity-building workshops across major cities with significant number of edible oil processing units.

The first workshop is scheduled for November 15, 2025 at the Soybean Oil Processors Association (SOPA) Auditorium in Indore, Madhya Pradesh.

The event will feature interactive demonstrations on registration through the National Single Window System (NSWS) and the VOPPA portal, besides providing hands-on guidance to industry stakeholders.

The move comes after the ministry notified the amended Vegetable Oil Products Production and Availability (Regulation) Order, 2025 (VOPPA 2025), bringing in sweeping changes aimed at improving transparency and monitoring across India's edible oil industry.

Under the new regulations, all producers of crude and refined vegetable oils, solvent-extracted oils, blended oils, vanaspati, margarine, and other specified vegetable oil products must register on the VOPPA portal (https://www.edibleoilindia.in) and submit monthly returns by the 15th of every month.

The returns will cover production, imports, opening and closing stocks, dispatches, sales, and consumption — data that the government says is crucial for enhanced supply chain monitoring, accurate data collection, and improved policy planning to support national food security objectives.

Similar sessions will be organised in other major states following the Indore workshop. The department will also conduct inspection visits and interactions with nearby edible oil units to encourage proactive compliance.

The government has made it clear that VOPPA registration is mandatory for all edible oil producers and packers. Units that fail to register or submit monthly returns will face strict penalties, including fines and other statutory action under the Essential Commodities Act, 1955 and the Collection of Statistics Act, 2008.

The ministry has urged all edible oil units to register immediately on the VOPPA portal and ensure timely filing of returns to avoid legal or financial consequences. PTI LUX HVA