Edible Oil Import Expenditure Reaches ₹1.61 Lakh Crore

14-Nov-2025 08:51 PM

Mumbai. Data compiled by the Solvent Extractors' Association of India (SEA), a leading industry body, shows that while the import volume of edible oil during the 2024-25 marketing season (November-October) saw a smaller increase compared to the 2023-24 season, the import expenditure incurred on it increased significantly due to higher global market prices.

According to the association's data, India imported 15.96 million tonnes of edible oil during the 2023-24 marketing season, which improved to just over 16 million tonnes in 2024-25.

Meanwhile, its import expenditure jumped by nearly 22 percent from ₹1.32 lakh crore to ₹1.61 lakh crore during the same period.

It is noteworthy that India primarily imports crude palm oil, RBD palmolein, crude soybean oil, and crude sunflower oil from countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Argentina, Brazil, Russia, Ukraine, and the United States.

Furthermore, significant imports of refined edible oil from Nepal have also begun. This time, 6,000 tons of rapeseed oil was also imported.

According to the association, over the past two decades (20 years), from 2004-05 to 2024-25, the volume of edible oil imports into India has increased 2.2-fold, while the cost of imports has increased nearly 15-fold.

In the 2024-25 marketing season, the import of 16 million tons of edible oil cost approximately ₹1.61 lakh crore, equivalent to $18.30 billion. This is a huge amount and is having a serious impact on the economy.

According to available data, during the 2024-25 season, the import of refined edible oils in India decreased from 19.31 lakh tonnes to 17.37 lakh tonnes as compared to 2023-24, while the import of crude edible oils increased from 140.31 lakh tonnes to 142.74 lakh tonnes.