News Capsule: Vegetable Oil Imports Fall 28% in November 2025; Crude Palm Oil Share Rises
15-Dec-2025 12:32 PM
News Capsule: Vegetable Oil Imports Fall 28% in November 2025; Crude Palm Oil Share Rises
★ India’s vegetable oil imports declined sharply in November 2025, the first month of the 2025–26 oil year, falling 28% year-on-year to 1.184 million tonnes, compared with 1.651 million tonnes in November 2024. Imports were also 11% lower than the 1.332 million tonnes recorded in October 2025.
★ Data show that imports of refined palmolein (RBD Palmolein) were almost negligible in November 2025 at just 3,500 tonnes, a steep fall from 285,000 tonnes in the same month last year. Crude sunflower oil imports dropped sharply to 143,000 tonnes, down 58% year-on-year. Soybean oil imports stood at 371,000 tonnes, about 9% lower than November 2024.
★ The import composition witnessed a significant shift during the month. The share of refined oils in total imports declined to just 0.3%, while crude oils accounted for as much as 99.7%, indicating a strong preference for crude imports and higher utilisation of domestic refining capacity.
★ Palm oil and soft oil imports both declined in absolute terms. Palm oil imports fell to 632,000 tonnes in November 2025; however, due to a steeper fall in soft oil imports, palm oil’s share in total imports increased to 55%. Soft oil imports dropped to 519,000 tonnes, with their share declining to 45%.
★ Domestic edible oil stocks also eased. As on December 1, 2025, total edible oil stocks, including port and pipeline stocks, were estimated at 1.623 million tonnes, down by around 108,000 tonnes from 1.731 million tonnes a month earlier.
★ Meanwhile, rabi sowing has progressed well in the 2025–26 season. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, the total area under rabi crops stood at 84.14 lakh hectares as on December 5, 2025, up 2.40% from last year. Mustard acreage rose by 3.45%, offering positive signals for domestic oilseed production.