New Delhi, India’s vegetable oil imports fell 16 percent to 9.98 lakh tonnes in March due to a sharp drop in crude sunflower oil shipments, according to industry data.
In a statement on Friday, the Solvent Extractors Association of India (SEA) said imports of vegetable oils (edible and non-edible) declined to 9,98,344 tonnes in March 2025 from 11,82,152 tonnes in the same month last year.
Edible oil imports declined to 9,70,602 tonnes in March 2025 from 11,49,681 tonnes in the same period a year ago. Imports of crude sunflower oil declined to 1,90,645 tonnes last month from 4,45,723 tonnes in March 2024.
Arrivals of non-edible oils declined to 27,742 tonnes from 32,471 tonnes.
During the first five months of the oil marketing year 2024-25, starting in November, total vegetable oil imports declined marginally to 58,06,142 tonnes from 58,30,115 tonnes in the same period last year.
The oil year runs from November to October.
Of the total edible oil imports during November 2024-March 2025, 6,62,890 tonnes of refined oil (RBD palmolein) was imported as against 886,607 tonnes in the same period a year ago, the SEA said. Crude oil imports increased to 49,76,787 tonnes from 48,78,625 tonnes during the period under review.
“Palm oil imports during November 2024-March 2025 declined to 24,15,556 tonnes from 35,29,839 tonnes during November 2023-March 2024, while soft oil imports increased to 32,24,121 tonnes from 22,35,394 tonnes in the same period last year,” the statement said.
Indonesia and Malaysia are the major suppliers of RBD palmolein and crude palm oil to India.
