India's edible oil imports rise in May – palm oil up 87%: Industry estimates

04-Jun-2025 10:19 AM

India's edible oil imports rise in May – palm oil up 87%: Industry estimates

★ According to industry sources, India witnessed a significant rise in edible oil imports in May 2025. The estimated import figures for key oils are as follows:

Palm oil – 0.6 million tons in May, up 87% from April.

Soybean oil – 0.398 million tons, an increase of 10% over April.

Sunflower oil – 0.184 million tons, up 2% compared to April.

★ Total edible oil imports – 1.138 million tons, showing a 37% month-on-month increase.

★ Nepal supplied 0.132 million tons of edible oils in May — 87,000 tons more than April.

★ Due to lower imports between November and April, India's edible oil stocks had reportedly declined to 1.35 million tons by 1 May 2025.

★ Palm oil imports are expected to reach 0.75 million tons in June and 0.85 million tons in July, driven by seasonal demand and pricing advantages.

★ The Government of India recently reduced import duty on crude edible oils by 10%, widening the price gap between crude and refined oils.

★ This move has made crude oil imports more attractive for oil millers, likely pushing imports even higher in the coming months.