Edible Oil Imports Reach 107.57 Lakh Tonnes in Nov–July

14-Aug-2025 03:52 PM

Mumbai. Data compiled by Solvent Extractors Association of India (C), a leading industry body, shows that during the first two months of the current marketing season, i.e. from November 2024 to July 2025, a total of about 107.57 lakh tonnes of edible oil was imported in the country,

which is much less than the import of 119.35 lakh tonnes during the same period of the 2023-24 season. During the period under review, import of crude edible oil declined from 104.17 lakh tonnes to 97.69 lakh tonnes and import of refined edible oil declined from 15.19 lakh tonnes to 9.88 lakh tonnes.

In July 2025, the import of edible oils increased to 15.48 lakh tonnes, whereas earlier 15.31 lakh tonnes were imported in June, 11.75 lakh tonnes in May, 8.63 lakh tonnes in April, 9.71 lakh tonnes in March, 8.86 lakh tonnes in February and 10.08 lakh tonnes in January 2025. Its import quantity was 15.90 lakh tonnes in November 2024, which decreased to 11.86 lakh tonnes in December 2024.

The important thing is that the import of refined edible oil was around 1.64 lakh tonnes in June, which fell to only 5 thousand tonnes in July.

But during the same period, the import of crude edible oil increased from 13.68 lakh tonnes to 15.43 lakh tonnes. Heavy import of edible oils is likely to continue in the coming months as the festive season has begun.

According to the available data, during November 2024-July 2025, compared to November 2023-July 2024, the total import of crude and refined palm oil in India decreased from 68.45 lakh tons to 51.41 lakh tons and the import of sunflower oil fell from 28.30 lakh tons to 20.93 lakh tons, but the import of soybean oil jumped from 22.60 lakh tons to 35.23 lakh tons.

During July, compared to June, the import of palm oil decreased from 9.56 lakh tons to 8.56 lakh tons and the import of sunflower oil fell from 2.16 lakh tons to 2.00 lakh tons, while the import of soybean oil increased from 3.60 lakh tons to 4.92 lakh tons.

Industry and trade analysts say that during the current marketing season of 2024-25, soybean oil imports may jump 60 percent to an all-time high of 55 lakh tonnes, while palm oil imports may fall to the lowest level in the last five years. Sunflower oil imports will also decrease.