Higher imports of crude soybean oil, especially during May, contributed significantly to the overall increase in edible oils during the first seven months of the oil year 2025-26 (November-October).

According to the data compiled by the Solvent Extractors’ Association of India (SEA), India’s edible oil imports increased to 92.17 lakh tonne (lt) during November-May 2025-26 against 81.31 lt in the corresponding period of the previous oil year, registering a growth of 13.35 per cent.

Meanwhile, India’s edible oil imports increased to 13.29 lakh tonne (lt) in May 2026 against 13.07 lt in April 2026. Of the total edible oil imports during May 2026, the share of soybean oil stood at 4.93 lt, palm oil (including crude palm oil and RBD palmolein) at 5.49 lt and sunflower oil at 2.95 lt.

BV Mehta, Executive Director of SEA, said India’s edible oil imports increased by 2.4 per cent in May 2026 over April 2026, driven primarily by higher imports of crude soybean oil as the price premium of soybean oil over palm oil narrowed, improving its competitiveness.

During May 2026, the import price of crude palm oil (CPO), RBD palmolein, soybean oil and sunflower oil increased by 22 per cent, 23 per cent, 22 per cent and 19 per cent, respectively, when compared to the same period last year.

Stating that rupee had depreciated by over 12 per cent in last one year, he said it is a cause of concern to Indian importers and refiners.

Overall soybean imports down

During the first seven months of the oil year 2025-26, total palm oil imports, including CPO and RBD palmolein, increased to 45.20 lt (33.37 lt in November-May 2024-25); and sunflower oil imports to 18.48 lt (17.17 lt). Despite an increase in May, total soybean oil imports declined to 28.41 lt (30.73 lt) during the first seven months of 2025-26.

No imports of RBD palmolein were recorded during May 2026. Cumulative imports of RBD palmolein declined sharply to 47,270 tonnes during November-May 2025-26 from 8.26 lt in the corresponding period of the previous year.

Mehta said the decline reflects the Government’s policy of maintaining a higher duty differential between crude and refined oils, which has encouraged imports of CPO and supported domestic refining, value addition, and employment generation.

Import from Nepal surge

He said that imports of refined oils from Nepal continued at significant levels. Nepal exported approximately 2.80 lt of refined oils to India during November-March 2025-26. This included 2.46 lt of refined soybean oil, 17,356 tonnes of refined sunflower oil, 14,287 tonnes of RBD palmolein, and 2,701 tonnes of rapeseed oil.

Nepal’s refined oil exports to India were estimated at around 58,000 tonne in April and 60,000 tonne in May, consisting mainly of refined soybean oil, along with smaller quantities of sunflower oil and RBD palmolein. He said Nepal enjoys nil import duty under SAFTA agreement for export to India.

Total domestic stock of edible oils was reported at 22.13 lt as on June 1 compared to 20.67 lt as on May 1.

Major exporters

During the first seven months of the oil year 2025-26, Indonesia supplied 17.2 lt, mainly CPO, to India, and Malaysia 17.6 lt, including CPO and palm kernel oil.

Argentina exported 16.4 lt of soybean oil to India, followed by Brazil at 5.66 lt. Russia, Argentina and Ukraine were the major sources of sunflower oil imports, supplying 9.2 lt, 4.2 lt, and 3 lt, respectively.

Published on June 12, 2026