Argentina Emerges as Top Supplier of Edible Oils to India

Mumbai. India, one of the world’s largest importers of edible oils, previously sourced the bulk of its supply (primarily palm oil) from Indonesia; however, the landscape has now shifted. Argentina has taken the top spot as the leading supplier of edible oils to India, followed by Malaysia in second place, while Indonesia has slipped to third.

Meanwhile, Russia has secured the fourth position, moving well ahead of Ukraine. India is also importing significant quantities of edible oils from Brazil. Imports from Argentina consist primarily of soybean oil and sunflower oil.

According to industry analysts, domestic demand and consumption of palm oil in Indonesia are rising rapidly, driven by its extensive use in the production of biodiesel. Consequently, the stock available for export has begun to shrink. For several decades, Indonesia was the largest exporter of edible oils to India, but it has now lost that position.

Imports of palm oil from Indonesia into India began to decline as early as the 2022-23 period. It is projected that by the 2026-27 season, domestic consumption of palm oil in Indonesia will reach 23.38 million tonnes—a 4 percent increase over the 2025-26 season. As a result, palm oil exports from Indonesia are expected to fall by approximately 14 percent, dropping to 21.6 million tonnes.