Estimated Edible Oil Imports Fall to 1.32 Million Tonnes in January

03-Feb-2026 02:35 PM

Mumbai. Leading analysts from the vegetable oil industry and trade circles estimate that India’s total edible oil imports during January 2026 declined by 3.5% to 1.32 million tonnes, compared to December 2025. While palm oil imports are expected to rise sharply, imports of soybean oil and sunflower oil are likely to register a significant decline.

According to industry and trade participants, palm oil imports in January are estimated to have jumped to 766,000 tonnes from 507,000 tonnes in December, marking the highest level since October 2025. The primary reason behind this surge is the relatively weaker prices of palm oil compared to soft oils, which encouraged Indian importers to focus more on palm oil purchases.

On the other hand, compared to December, soybean oil imports in January are expected to plunge by 45% to 280,000 tonnes, while sunflower oil imports are likely to fall by 23% to 269,000 tonnes. It is understood that high prevailing prices in exporting countries and a sharp depreciation of the Indian rupee prompted some Indian importers to cancel soybean oil import contracts.

A leading industry body, the Solvent Extractors’ Association of India (SEA), is expected to release its monthly report around mid-February, which will provide detailed data on edible oil imports for January. However, it is evident that imports of soybean oil and sunflower oil declined in January, while palm oil imports increased.

It is also important to note that the above estimated edible oil import figures do not include duty-free imports from Nepal.