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India's Edible Oil Imports Rise on Palm, Soy Demand
15 Sep
Summary
- Edible oil imports grew 4.56% in 10 months due to increased palm and soybean oil.
- Refined oil imports dropped significantly, with crude oil share rising to 95%.
- Nepal exports refined soybean oil duty-free to India under SAFTA agreement.
India's edible oil imports saw a 4.56% increase during the first ten months of the 2025-26 oil year, from November to August. This rise was fueled by greater imports of palm oil and soybean oil.
The data indicates a shift towards crude edible oils, with their share in total imports climbing to 95% from 87%. Conversely, imports of refined edible oils, including palmolein, declined sharply.
A significant factor highlighted is Nepal's role, exporting refined soybean oil to India duty-free under the SAFTA agreement. Nepal imports crude soybean oil and then refines it for export.
During August 2026, import prices for key edible oils like crude palm oil and crude soybean oil saw increases between 8% and 10%. This, combined with a 9% depreciation of the Indian rupee over the past year, raises the landed cost for importers.
Major exporting countries during this period included Argentina, Russia, Malaysia, and Indonesia, supplying various types of edible oils like soybean and palm oil.
