Anisul Islam Noor :The local edible oil mills produce around one million tonnes of rice bran oil annually which could be increased by seven times if they ensure maximum use of rice bran, a study by the Bangladesh Tariff Commission (BTC) has revealed.The study found that less than 25 per cent of rice bran is being used by local oil companies in the country. Its use should be maximised to increase domestic edible oil production, it was suggested in the study.The BTC, in its latest finding said Bangladeshi rice millers produce 2.5 million tonnes of bran annually of which only 0.5 million tonnes are used to make edible oil.In its analysis on ‘Rice Bran Oil and its Prospect in Bangladesh’, the study said the country’s 70 per cent of rice mills are automatic or semi-automatic while 30 per cent are yet to be modernised.BTC member and team leader of the study Md Abdul Quaiyum told The New Nation on Tuesday that 2.5 million tonnes of bran is collected. The bran production could be minimum 3.6 million tonnes if the rest of the mills become auto or semi-auto, he said.”We have found out that nearly 7 million tonnes of oil could be produced by such volume of rice bran if 100 per cent rice mills come under automation by 2021,” Abdul Quaiyum said.”Within 2021, demand for edible oil will be nearly 2.47 million tonnes from 1.5 million tonnes presently. This means local producers will be able to produce 30 per cent of the then demand,” he said.The BTC report also recommended increasing awareness of consuming rice bran oil for its market promotion. The report also found a positive trend that export of rice barn is on the decrease.Bangladeshi exporters shipped rice bran to the tune of 90,781 tonnes worth Tk 1.29 billion in financial year 2013, which declined to 27,076 tonnes worth Tk 371 million in FY’14.Secretary of Bangladesh Rice Bran Oil Mills Association and a leading rice miller Md Abdur Rashid said that 15 local companies have capacity of producing maximum 7,000 tonnes per day but we are making less than 500 tonnes now.Abdur Rashid, also president of the Bangladesh Auto Major and Husking Mills Owners Association expressed his optimism that rice bran oil will be in great demand within next five years in Bangladesh with rising health consciousness. Md Arman Habib, executive director of Nilsagor Agro Industries Ltd, distributor of Spondon rice bran oil in Rangpur and Rajshahi divisions, said the demand for the oil was increasing but in a slower pace.He said 52 tonnes of Spondon oil is now sold per month in the 16 districts of the two northern divisions against a total demand of 100 tonnes. He said apart from the private sector, the government will have to take steps to raise awareness on consuming rice bran.Health-related programmes on government and private media should focus the usefulness of the oil. When asked, he said prices of different brands are now nearly the same like soybean oil.”Different qualities of rice bran oil per litre, made in Bangladesh, are being sold at between Tk 80 and Tk 112,” he said.Prof Dr Golam Maula of the Institute of Nutrition and Food Science, Dhaka University said rice bran oil contains a high level of gamma oryzanol which increases HDL (good) cholesterol and lowers LDL (bad) cholesterol and triglycerides.He said rice bran oil is much healthier than that of soybean, palm oil or mustard oil.He said it also contains the relatively high fractions of tocopherols and tocotrienols, together known as vitamin E which is powerful antioxidant and has antimutagenic properties which prevent cancer.Vitamin E also helps boost immunity in body, he added.The nutrition specialist also echoed the need for raising awareness on the use of rice bran oil for better health of the people.
