India’s edible oil imports increased by 51 per cent in September 2025 compared with September 2024 due to a surge in the import of crude palm oil (CPO), soybean oil and sunflower oil. However, imports of RBD palmolein stopped following high duty difference compared to crude palm oil.
Data compiled by the Solvent Extractors’ Association of India (SEA) showed that India imported 16.04 lakh tonnes (lt) of edible oil in September 2025, compared to 10.64 lt in September 2024. India imported 8.24 lt of CPO in September 2025 (4.32 lt in September 2024). This was followed by soybean oil at 5.03 lt (3.84 lt) and sunflower oil at 2.72 lt (1.52 lt) during the period.
Meanwhile, the overall edible oil imports declined to 16.04 lt in September 2025 from 16.21 lt in August 2025.
Hike in duty differential
BV Mehta, Executive Director of SEA, said the Government’s decision to increase between CPO and RBD palmolein from 8.25 per cent to 19.25 per cent with effect from May 31, 2025, made the import of palmolein uneconomical. This helped reduce the import of refined oils also, and September 2025 reported nil import. India imported 84,279 tonnes of refined oil in September 2024.
Terming the Government’s decision to increase the duty difference as a bold and timely move, Mehta said it started discouraging import of refined palmolein and shift demand back to crude oils, thereby revitalising the domestic refining sector.
This step aligns with the Prime Minister’s vision of ‘Make in India’ promoting domestic manufacturing, increasing capacity utilisation, encouraging value addition and creating employment opportunities. It represents a win-win scenario for both the industry and consumers, he said.
Soft oils gain
However, the overall imports declined by 3.8 per cent in the first 11 months of the oil year 2024-25 (November-October). India imported 139.82 lakh tonnes (lt) of edible oils during November-September of the oil year 2024-25 against 145.35 lt in the corresponding period of 2023-24. This data does not include import from Nepal.
Overall import of palm oil (including CPO and RBD palmolein) decreased to 69.60 lt in the first 11 months of 2024-25 from 81.69 lt in the corresponding period of 2023-24. However, the import of soft oils jumped to 70.21 lt (63.66 lt) during the period.
There was a sharp increase in the import of soybean oil during the period, Mehta said. India imported 43.93 lt of soybean oil during November-September 2024-25 (30.98 lt). However, the import of sunflower oil declined to 26.22 lt (32.67 lt) during the period.
The share of palm oil in the overall edible oil imports decreased to 50 per cent in the first 11 months of 2024-25 from 56 per cent, and soft oils increased to 50 per cent from 44 per cent.
Major import sources
Indonesia exported 26.52 lt of CPO and 8.30 lt of RBD palmolein during November-September 2024-25. This was followed by Malaysia at 23.17 lt of CPO and 1.29 lt of RBD palmolein.
India imported 26.40 lt of crude soybean degummed oil from Argentina, 10.91 lt from Brazil, 1.88 lt from the US, and 1.96 lt from Russia in the first 11 months of 2024-25.
Russia exported 13.51 lt of crude sunflower oil during November-September 2024-25. This was followed by Ukraine at 5.76 lt and Argentina at 4.86 lt.
Kharif crops
On the area under kharif crop, Mehta said the total kharif oilseed acreage stood at 190.13 lakh hectares (lh) as on October 3 compared to 200.75 lh last year, registering a 10.62 lh decrease.
Of this, the area under groundnut was 48.36 lh (49.96 lh), soybean 120.45 lh (129.55 lh), and cotton 110.03 lh (112.97 lh).
He said the decrease in soybean and cotton area is mainly due to shifting to maize area. Area under maize has increased by 10.65 lh. In the meanwhile, SOPA has estimated soybean kharif crop at 105 lt for 2025 compared to 125.81 lt a year ago, lower by 20.51 lt.
As per SEA Gujarat Groundnut Crop Survey, the production of groundnut is estimated at 46.07 lt in kharif season 2025-26 compared to 42.19 lt of last year 2024-25.
