India's Palm Oil Imports Decline to Lowest Level in Three Months
India's March palm oil imports fall 19% to three-month low
The Economic TimesImage: The Economic Times
India's palm oil imports fell nearly 19% in March to 689,462 metric tons, marking the lowest level since December 2025. This decline is attributed to rising tropical oil prices, leading refiners to reduce purchases. The drop in imports may impact local oilseed prices and prompt increased overseas buying in the coming months.
- 01Palm oil imports dropped to 689,462 metric tons in March, a three-month low.
- 02Overall edible oil imports decreased by over 9% to 1.17 million tons.
- 03Imports of soyoil fell by 4%, while sunflower oil imports rose by 35%.
- 04India primarily sources palm oil from Indonesia and Malaysia.
- 05Rising supplies of rapeseed oil are helping to limit short-term imports.
Advertisement
In-Article Ad
India's palm oil imports fell by nearly 19% in March, reaching 689,462 metric tons, the lowest figure since December 2025, according to the Solvent Extractors' Association of India (SEA). This decline is linked to a surge in tropical oil prices, which has led refiners to hold back on purchases. Overall edible oil imports also dropped by more than 9% to 1.17 million tons, the lowest since April 2025. While palm oil and soyoil imports decreased, sunflower oil imports saw a significant increase of about 35%, totaling 196,486 tons. India mainly imports palm oil from Indonesia and Malaysia, while soyoil and sunflower oil come from countries like Argentina, Brazil, Russia, and Ukraine. Additionally, increasing supplies of rapeseed oil from the new-season crop are expected to help limit imports in the short term. Buyers are currently awaiting a price correction, and if prices do not decrease soon, Indian refiners may increase their overseas purchases.
Advertisement
In-Article Ad
The decline in palm oil imports may lead to reduced stock levels and support local oilseed prices, affecting consumers and businesses reliant on edible oils.
Advertisement
In-Article Ad
Reader Poll
How do you view the impact of declining palm oil imports on local prices?
Connecting to poll...
Read the original article
Visit the source for the complete story.
