Some 210,000 tons of palm oil were imported during the first five months of the current Iranian year (started March 21), IRNA quoted secretary of Iranian Vegetable Oil Industry Association, Mohammad Qebleh, as saying on Saturday. As of the beginning of the last Iranian year (March 21, 2014), the government has been trying to reduce the share of palm oil imports in Iran’s 1.4-million-ton annual consumption by passing regulations based on which imports should not exceed 420,000 tons per year, he added. Palm oil is an edible vegetable oil derived from the reddish pulp of the fruit of the oil palms, and is used as a cooking oil and shortening and in the manufacture of margarine, non-dairy creamers and ice cream.
