India's edible oil imports dip 7 pc in Sep: SEA

India's edible oil imports experienced a 7% decline in September, falling to 15.44 lakh tonnes, according to the Solvent Extractors Association of India (SEA). The decrease was primarily attributed to a sharp drop in shipments of crude sunflower oil, which plummeted from 2.72 lakh tonnes in September 2024 to nearly 1.05 lakh tonnes in September 2025.

In contrast, the total edible oil imports rose by 3% to 151.64 lakh tonnes over the first eleven months of the 2025-26 oil year, compared to 146.83 lakh tonnes in the same period last year. Total vegetable oil imports, encompassing both edible and non-edible oils, increased to 154.64 lakh tonnes during November 2025 to September 2026, compared to 150.31 lakh tonnes in the previous year.

Meanwhile, refined oil imports saw a significant decline of 49.77%, dropping from 16.89 lakh tonnes to 740,441 tonnes in the corresponding period. Consequently, the share of refined oil in total edible oil imports dropped to 5% from 12%, mainly due to minimal imports of refined palmolein from Indonesia and Malaysia. Refined oil imports declined substantially, falling from 16.89 lakh tonnes to 740,441 tonnes, resulting in its share in total edible oil imports decreasing to 5% from 12%.

On the other hand, imports of crude edible oils increased substantially to 1.44 crore tonnes, accounting for 95% of total edible oil imports, up from 88%. The surge was driven by higher imports of crude palm oil, which replaced imports of refined palmolein. Notably, Nepal's exports of refined soybean oil to India have also witnessed a significant uptick.