India’s Vegetable Oil Imports Cost Rs 87,000 Cr In First Half, Up 19%
India’s vegetable oil imports rose 13% year-on-year to 7.94 million tonnes during November 2025-April 2026, while the import bill jumped 19% to Rs 87,000 crore due to higher global prices and rupee depreciation. Palm oil imports nearly doubled, boosting domestic edible oil stocks to 2.12 million tonnes.
India’s vegetable oil imports increased 13 per cent year-on-year to 7.94 million tonnes during the first six months of the 2025-26 oil year, largely driven by a sharp rise in palm oil purchases, according to industry body Solvent Extractors Association of India.
The country, the world’s largest edible oil importer, had imported 7.04 million tonnes in the corresponding period of the previous oil year. India’s oil marketing year runs from November to October.
Data released by the association showed that the import bill rose at a faster pace than volumes due to higher global prices and currency depreciation. Imports during November 2025 to April 2026 were valued at around Rs 87,000 crore, compared with Rs 73,000 crore in the year-ago period, marking a 19 per cent increase.
Edible oils accounted for the bulk of the imports at 7.82 million tonnes, while non-edible oils stood at 121,000 tonnes.
Palm oil imports surged to 3.97 million tonnes during the six-month period, almost doubling from 2.74 million tonnes a year earlier. In contrast, imports of soft oils, including soybean and sunflower oil, declined to 3.85 million tonnes from 4.13 million tonnes.
Indonesia and Malaysia remained India’s key suppliers of palm oil. Argentina continued to dominate soybean oil exports to India, followed by Brazil, while Russia and Ukraine supplied most of the sunflower oil imports.
Global edible oil prices also remained firm during the period. Palm oil prices rose by 14-15 per cent over April 2025 levels, while soybean and sunflower oil prices increased between 17 per cent and 22 per cent, according to the industry body.
The association also flagged the weakening rupee as a major challenge for importers and refiners. The Indian currency depreciated more than 9.2 per cent against the US dollar over the past year, adding to overall import costs.
Nepal exported around 2,17,000 tonnes of refined oils to India in the first half of the oil year. The shipments mainly comprised refined soybean oil along with smaller quantities of sunflower oil, RBD palmolein and rapeseed oil.
Meanwhile, domestic vegetable oil stocks improved significantly. Total stocks rose to 2.12 million tonnes in May 2026 from 1.35 million tonnes in May 2025, indicating better supply availability ahead of the second half of the oil year.
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Source : Business World
