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Informist, Wednesday, May 13, 2026

MUMBAI – India's import of vegetable oils--edible and non-edible oils--rose 34% to 1.31 million tonnes in April from 975,025 tonnes a year ago, according to data released by the Solvent Extractors' Association of India Wednesday. Total edible oil imports in April rose to 1.3 million tonnes from 946,025 tonnes a year ago.

Imports of crude palm oil in April rose to 510,517 tonnes from 241,461 tonnes a year ago. Crude soyoil imports fell to 360,350 tonnes in April from 360,984 tonnes a year ago while crude sunflower oil imports rose significantly to 434,240 tonnes from 180,128 tonnes, the association said. Sunflower oil imports more than doubled as refiners shifted to alternatives to costly palm oil, it said.

A price rally in palm oil reduced its discount to rival oils, reducing its appeal to refiners. While current supplies of edibel oil remain sufficient due to high domestic mustard seed crushing, low inventory levels may prompt increased imports in the coming months, SEA said.

Refined, bleached, and deodorised palmolein oil imports in April were at 1,536 tonnes compared with 76,734 tonnes a year ago. In the Nov-Apr period, only 43,513 tonnes of refined, bleached and deodorised palm oil was imported, compared with 746,148 tonnes a year ago.

Crude palm oil imports during Nov-Apr were 3.91 million tonnes compared with 1.97 million tonnes a year ago, it said. India's crude soyoil import during the same period fell to 2.10 million tonnes from 2.27 million tonnes a year ago, according to the association. During Nov-Apr, the country imported 1.54 million tonnes of sunflower oil, higher than 1.49 million tonnes a year ago. Meanwhile, palm oil price increased by 14% to 15% on year in April while Soybean Oil and Sunflower Oil prices increased by 17% to 22%, the association said.

Indonesia and Malaysia were the dominant suppliers of palm oils to India. Argentina emerged as the largest supplier of soybean oil with followed by Brazil. Russia and Ukraine were the major sources of sunflower oil imports, SEA said.

During Nov-Apr, total edible oil imports by India rose to 7.82 million tonnes from 6.88 million tonnes a year ago. Vegetable oil imports during Nov-Apr rose to 7.94 million tonnes from 7.04 million tonnes a year ago.

As of May 1, domestic edible oil stocks at ports were 836,000 tonnes, up from 700,000 tonnes a year earlier. Pipeline stocks rose to 1.29 million tonnes from 651,000 tonnes, the association said.

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

End

Reported by Taniva Singha Roy

Edited by Akul Nishant Akhoury

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