COMMODITY
India's edible oil imports increase 6.7% in May to nearly 13.39 lakh tonnes: SEA
Jun-15-2026

Solvent Extractors' Association of India (SEA) has said that India's edible oil imports rose 6.7 per cent in May 2026 to nearly 13.39 lakh tonnes from 12.55 lakh tonnes in the same month last year. SEA noted that the country's edible oil imports in May increased, primarily because of higher imports of crude soybean oil as the price premium of soybean oil over palm oil narrowed, improving its competitiveness. Imports of crude soyabean oil rose to 4.94 lakh tonnes from 3.99 tonnes during the period under review. Besides, inward shipments of non-edible oils jumped over twofold to 0.26 lakh tonnes in May 2026 from 0.12 lakh tonnes in May 2025.

India's imports of vegetable oils (edible and non-edible) during May 2026 increased 8 per cent to 13.65 lakh tonnes as compared with 12.67 lakh tonnes in May 2025. During the first seven months of the 2025-26 oil year (November-October), SEA said the total vegetable oil imports rose 12 per cent to 93.65 lakh tonnes from 83.39 lakh tonnes in the corresponding period of the previous year. Edible oil imports during November 2025-May 2026 period grew 13 per cent to 92.17 lakh tonnes, as compared with 81.31 lakh tonnes in the year-ago period. Non-edible oil shipments dropped to 1,47,710 tonnes from 2,07,505 tonnes during this time.

Meanwhile, effective June 1, 2026, the government raised the tariff value of crude palm oil (CPO) to $1,218 per tonne and RBD (refined) palm oil to $1,222 per tonne, while slightly reducing the tariff value for crude soyabean oil. As per the data, no imports of RBD Palmolein were recorded during May 2026. Cumulative imports of RBD Palmolein during November 2025-May 2026 declined sharply to 47,270 tonnes from 8,26,800 tonnes in the corresponding period of the previous year. It noted that ‘The decline reflects the government's policy of maintaining a higher duty differential between crude and refined oils, which has encouraged imports of crude palm oil and supported domestic refining, value addition, and employment generation’.

During the first seven months of the current oil year, the SEA said the ratio of refined oil sharply decreased to 3 per cent from 16 per cent, while the crude oil ratio increased to 97 per cent from 84 per cent a year ago. The association pointed out that refined oils imports from Nepal continued at significant levels. Nepal enjoys nil import duty under SAFTA Agreement for export to India.

  RELATED NEWS >>