Edible oil imports fall 11.6% as palm oil inflows decrease
India’s edible oil imports fell 11.6% in November–December 2025 due to lower palm oil shipments, according to SEA. Palm oil imports declined sharply, while soybean oil stayed stable and sunflower oil eased. Crude oil imports dominated, reflecting policy shifts and rising domestic oilseed sowing.
Edible oil imports declined by 11.6 per cent during the first two months of the oil year 2025-26 (November-October) due to a decrease in palm oil shipments.
Data compiled by the Solvent Extractors’ Association of India (SEA) showed that India imported 25.13 lakh tonnes (lt) of edible oil during November-December of the oil year 2025-26, against 28.43 lt in the corresponding period of the previous oil year.
Total imports of palm oil, including RBD palmolein and crude palm oil (CPO), declined to 11.39 lt during the first two months of the oil year 2025-26 from 13.44 lt during November-December 2024-25.
Refined oils consignments down
BV Mehta, Executive Director of SEA, said the ratio of refined oil imports decreased to 0.14 per cent of the total edible oil imports during November-December 2025-26 from 18 per cent in the corresponding period of the previous oil year. The ratio of crude edible oils increased to 99.86 per cent (82 per cent) during the period due to a rise in import of CPO.
Only 3,500 tonnes of refined oil (RBD palmolein) was imported during the first two months of 2025-26 (5.17 lt in November-December 2024-25). India imported 25.09 lt of crude edible oils during November-December 2025-26 (23.26 lt).
Palm oil imports declined to 5.07 lt in December 2025 from 6.32 lt in November 2025.
India imported 8.75 lt of soybean oil during the first two months of 2025-26 (8.80 lt). He said the soybean oil import jumped to 5.05 lt in December 2025 from 3.71 lt in November 2025.
Sunflower imports slip
There was a decline in sunflower oil imports during the first two months of the oil year 2025-26. India imported 4.92 lt of sunflower oil during the period (6.17 lt). However, sunflower oil imports shot up to 3.50 lt in December from 1.43 lt in November 2025.
Malaysia exported 4.95 lt of CPO during November-December 2025-26 followed by Indonesia at 3.84 lt of CPO and 3,500 tonnes of RBD palmolein.
India imported 5.92 lt of crude soybean degummed oil from Argentina. This was followed by Brazil at 98,562 tonnes and China at 1.05 lt.
Russia exported 2.66 lt of crude sunflower oil during the period November-December 2025-26. This was followed by Argentina at 84,863 tonnes and Ukraine at 1.07 lt.
Rabi sowing up
Referring to the statistics of the Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, Mehta said the area under rabi crops stood at 99.30 lakh hectares (lh) as of January 2 2026 against 93.27 lh in the corresponding period of the previous rabi season.
The area under rapeseed and mustard was reported at 89.36 lh (86.57 lh) during the period.
Mentioning that no rainfall was recorded during the second fortnight of December 2025, he said favourable temperature conditions supported normal crop growth and development.
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Source : The Hindu Business line
