Following the recent financial crisis and devaluation of Fiji dollar and increase of new imported food items in supermarkets, the Ministry of Health carried out an assessment of cooking oils imported into the country.

The assessment included looking at the health benefits and risks evaluation against financial costs to the people of Fiji.

Various cooking oils were tested, including olive, canola, palm, coconut, palms and virgin coconut oils and the result indicated that canola oil was the best cooking oil in terms of health benefits and cost.

The assessment carried out indicates that pure virgin coconut oil is healthier than coconut oil as it contains antioxidants that might have other positive health benefits and commercial production of pure virgin coconut oil will have a positive impact on the people living in rural areas and will increase export markets.

According to the Health Ministry, less oil should be used locally and with larger scale of commercial production of pure virgin coconut oil over the next three to five years, the market can determine the price tariff of locally produced cooking oils against imported varieties.