Helpless but Hopeful

April 4, 1970 State-wide agitation to protest against the price rise and the total failure of the State Government to provide edible oil at reasonable prices. The Party is reported to have held out the threat of breaking open oil godowns. Knowledgeable sources have often been heard talking about large-scale smuggling of groundnut oil from Gujarat to the Middle East Fairly good export business has been reported recently in groundnut extractions and linseed extractions. East European countries and Japan have been mentioned as the main buyers. Business with UK has been virtually at a standstill. Reports from Tokyo suggest that Japan is likely to emerge as a major buyer of Indian groundnut extractions. The Groundnut Extractions Export Development Association is said to have arrived at an arrangement with Japan's Animal Food Manufacturers' Association under which about 1.25 lakh tonnes of groundnut extractions will be imported by Japan from India this year and about 2 lakh to 2.5 lakh tonnes next year. Comment on this deal will have to reserved until full details become available. Apart from the promised cash assistance by the Indian Government, a good deal will also depend on the fibre content in the cake stipulated by the Japanese buyers.