According to sources, this decision has been taken despite opposition from farm scientists and other Agriculture Ministry officials many of whom feared that genetically modified seeds might be imported.

In June, senior Agriculture Ministry officials had told The Indian Express that import would only be allowed if it was economically viable. Of late, there has been tremendous pressure on the Government to allow imports as the prices of edible oil have shot up.

In order to safeguard against new diseases, the imports will have to be done in split or crushed form so that the soyabean is not used as seeds.

Early this week the Solvent Extractors' Association of India had urged the Centre to allow imports of oilseeds and oil-bearing material under open general licence (OGL) to meet the domesticdemand for edible oils. A delegation of the association met the Union Ministers for Civil Supplies and Finance recently and apprised them of the problems being faced by the industry.

Their main argument is that the indigenous oilseeds production is insufficient to meet the domestic demand for edible oils which is growing at a steady six-per cent per annum rate.

Though imports of edible oils are allowed freely, it is insufficient to maintain price level and to augment availability. The policy also puts indigenous processing industry at a disadvantageous position.

The delegation told the ministers that the industry had been operating at 33 per cent capacity because of stagnating oilseed crop and mounting imports of oils. The weather imbalance due to El Nino and currency crisis in the South East Asia have also harmed the industry.

Besides, the recent cyclone in Kandla and Jamnagar in Gujarat also caused severe losses to the industry.

Given the decision by the CoS, the Director General of Foreign Trade(DGFT) will soon notify the import.