Edible oil imports declined by 11.6 per cent during the first two months of the oil year 2025-26 (November-October) due to a decrease in palm oil shipments. Data compiled by the Solvent Extractors’ Association of India (SEA) showed that India imported 25.13 lakh tonnes (lt) of edible oil during November-December of the oil year 2025-26, against 28.43 lt in the corresponding period of the previous oil year. Total imports of palm oil, including RBD palmolein and crude palm oil (CPO), declined to 11.39 lt during the first two months of the oil year 2025-26 from 13.44 lt during November-December 2024-25.
Refined oils consignments down
BV Mehta, Executive Director of SEA, said the ratio of refined oil imports decreased to 0.14 per cent of the total edible oil imports during November-December 2025-26 from 18 per cent in the corresponding period of the previous oil year. The ratio of crude edible oils increased to 99.86 per cent (82 per cent) during the period due to a rise in import of CPO. Only 3,500 tonnes of refined oil (RBD palmolein) was imported during the first two months of 2025-26 (5.17 lt in November-December 2024-25).
India imported 25.09 lt of crude edible oils during November-December 2025-26 (23.26 lt). Palm oil imports declined to 5.07 lt in December 2025 from 6.32 lt in November 2025. India imported 8.75 lt of soybean oil during the first two months of 2025-26 (8.80 lt). He said the soybean oil import jumped to 5.05 lt in December 2025 from 3.71 lt in November 2025.
