Increase in import of palm oil and soybean oil in March
07-Apr-2025 10:53 AM
🛢️ Weekly Review: Edible Oil Imports – March 2025
📊 Key Takeaway: Import Recovery Led by Palm & Soybean Oil
After a sharp drop in February, India's edible oil imports rose 9.3% in March, largely driven by higher imports of palm oil and soybean oil. However, sunflower oil imports continued to decline, pulling down overall momentum.
🚢 Import Trends – March 2025 vs February 2025
| Oil Type | March 2025 (Lakh Tons) | % Change | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🟤 Palm Oil | 4.23 | 🔺 +13.2% | Still below avg. due to price gap |
| 🟠 Soybean Oil | 3.52 | 🔺 +24% | Increasingly competitive |
| 🌻 Sunflower Oil | 1.93 | 🔻 –15.5% | Hit by Ukraine-Russia conflict |
| 🧮 Total | 9.68 | 🔺 +9.3% | Mild recovery from February slump |
📉 Palm Oil: Below-Average Imports Continue
Monthly average (Nov '23–Oct '24): 7.5 lakh tons
March 2025: Only 4.23 lakh tons
📌 Reasons:
Palm oil less price-competitive vs soybean oil
No major rise expected in April imports
Potential uptick from May–July, as exporter prices may soften
🌍 Import Origins
| Oil Type | Exporting Countries |
|---|---|
| 🟤 Palm Oil | Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand |
| 🟠 Soybean Oil | Argentina, Brazil |
| 🌻 Sunflower Oil | Ukraine, Russia, Romania, Argentina |
⚠️ Geopolitical Risk: Russian attacks on Ukrainian ports (e.g. Odessa) threaten future sunflower oil shipments from the region.
🔍 Market Outlook
April: Soybean oil may maintain momentum; palm oil to stay flat unless prices correct.
May onwards: If palm oil prices drop, import parity may improve, boosting volumes.
Sunflower oil supply risk high due to Ukraine-Russia conflict, which may spur demand for alternatives.