New Delhi, April 21 -- India's growing appetite for fried and processed foods has tripled the country's per capita consumption of edible oil since 2001, leading to a heavy reliance on imports and increased concerns about obesity, heart disease, and diabetes.

From just 8.2 kg per person in 2001, the average Indian now consumes 23.5 kg of edible oil annually, according to Niti Aayog member Ramesh Chand. This exceeds the Indian Council for Medical Research's (ICMR) limit of 12 kg.

Chand said that under the national mission on edible oils, the government is working on enhancing domestic production. "This has two components. One is about palm oil, which yields higher output than crops like soyabean and mustard. The second component is about ...