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Informist, Thursday, Aug. 14, 2025

 

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--SEA: India Jul vegetable oil import 1.6 mln tn vs 1.9 mln tn yr ago
--SEA: India Jul edible oil import 1.5 mln tn vs 1.8 mln tn yr ago
--SEA: India Jul crude palm oil import 850,695 tn vs 936,876 tn yr ago
--SEA: India Jul RBD palmolein import 5,000 tn vs 136,853 tn yr ago
--SEA: India Jul crude soyoil import 492,336 tn vs 391,791 tn yr ago
--SEA: India Jul sunflower oil import 200,010 tn vs 366,541 tn yr ago
--SEA: India Nov-Jul sunflower oil import 2.1 mln tn vs 2.8 mln tn yr ago
--SEA: India Nov-Jul crude palm oil import 4.1 mln tn vs 5.2 mln tn yr ago
--SEA: India Nov-Jul crude soyoil import 3.5 mln tn vs 2.3 mln yr ago
--SEA: India Nov-Jul RBD palmolein import 987,711 tn vs 1.5 mln tn yr ago
--SEA: India Nov-Jul edible oil import 10.8 mln tn vs 11.9 mln tn yr ago
--SEA: India Nov-Jul veg oil import 11.0 mln tn vs 12.1 mln tn year ago 
--SEA: India Aug 1 edible oil stock in ports 988,000 tn vs 945,000 tn yr ago
--SEA: India Aug 1 edible oil pipeline stock 1.9 mln tn vs 771,000 tn yr ago

 

MUMBAI – India's vegetable oil imports fell 17% on year in July to 1.57 million tonnes mainly due to a decline in refined cooking oil imports, according to data by the Solvent Extractors' Association of India released Thursday. Refined, Bleached, and Deodorised palmolein imports declined a whopping 96.3% on year in July due to higher duty differential between crude and refined cooking oil. 

 

To reduce imports of refined cooking oils, the government on May. 30 had cut import duty on crude edible oils to 10% from 20%, but retained the import duty on refined cooking oils at 32.5%--thereby increasing the duty differential between the two kinds of oils to 19.25% from 8.25%. 

 

Higher duty differential has made import of refined oil "uneconomic", with its imports reduced to just 5,000 tonnes in July, significantly lower from 136,853 tonnes in the same month last year, the association said. Last month, refined cooking oil imports were 163,540 tonnes..

 

"The Government's decision to increase the duty difference is a bold and timely move. It started discouraging import of refined palmolein and shift demand back to crude oils, thereby revitalizing the domestic refining sector," the association said in the release. 

 

In the first nine months of the edible oil year 2024-25 (Nov-Jul), total vegetable oil imports reached 11.0 million tonnes, down 9% from 12.1 million tonnes in the same period last year. Vegetable oil imports include edible oils and non-edible oils. 

 

During Nov-Jul, edible oil imports were at 10.8 million tonnes, down from 11.9 million tonnes a year ago, according to the association. In July, the country imported 1.54 million tonnes of edible oil, down from 1.84 million tonnes during the year-ago period. 

 

Of the total 10.8 million tonnes edible oil imports in Nov-Jul, refined oil imports were down 35% on year at 987,711 tonnes, and crude edible imports declined over 6% to 9.8 million tonnes. "The ratio of refined oil decreased to 9% from 13% due to lesser import of RBD Palmolein and while crude oil ratio is increased to 91% from 87% mainly due to increase in import of soybean oil," the association said.

 

Imports of crude palm oil in July were at 850,695 tonnes, down from 936,876 tonnes a year ago, and crude palm oil imports in Nov-Jul were at 4.1 million tonnes, down from 5.2 million tonnes a year ago. According to industry experts, palm oil imports declined amid higher prices and importers shifted to other oils such as crude soyoil. 

 

Imports of crude soyoil in July were at 492,336 tonnes, up from 391,791 tonnes a year ago, and crude soyoil imports in Nov-Jul were at 3.5 million tonnes, up from 2.3 million tonnes a year ago. Crude sunflower oil imports fell to 200,010 tonnes in July, compared with 366,541 tonnes a year ago, the association said. Crude sunflower oil imports in Nov-Jul fell to 2.1 million tonnes from 2.8 million tonnes a year ago.

 

Soft oil imports jumped to 5.6 million tonnes in Nov-Jul from 5.1 million tonnes a year ago. "The share of palm oil sharply decreased to 48% from 57% while soft oils increased to 52% from 43%," the association said. Soft oils include soyoil, sunflower oil, rapeseed oil, and other oils. 

 

As of Aug. 1, the country's total edible oil stock was at 2.9 million tonnes, including 988,000 tonnes at ports and 1.9 million tonnes in the pipeline. At the same time last year, the country's total edible oil stock was 1.7 million tonnes, including 945,000 tonnes at ports and 771,000 tonnes in the pipeline, according to data released by the SEA.

 

The following table details edible oil imports in July, in tonnes, compared with year-ago levels, with the change in percentage, according to data from the SEA:

 

Edible oil	July 2025	July 2024	Change (in %)
Crude palm oil	850,695	936,876	(-)9
RBD palmolein	5,000	136,853	(-)96
Crude soyoil	492,336	391,791	26
Crude sunflower oil	200,010	366,541	(-)45
Total	1,548,041	1,840,062	(-)16

 

End

 

Reported by Afra Abubacker and J. Navya Sruthi

Edited by Tanima Banerjee

 

 

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