Edible Oil Imports Hit 10-Month High in July

13-Aug-2026 05:42 PM

Mumbai: Total edible oil imports surged to a 10-month high in July, driven by strong buying interest from refiners aiming to build up stocks ahead of the festive season. According to data compiled by the Solvent Extractors' Association of India (SEA), palm oil imports rose by approximately 50 percent to 730,965 tonnes, and soybean oil imports increased by 31 percent to 498,881 tonnes compared to June. Consequently, palm oil imports reached a five-month high, while soybean oil imports hit a seven-month high. Sunflower oil imports also saw a 4 percent rise during this period, reaching 251,639 tonnes.

According to the association, total edible oil imports in July rose by 33.3 percent compared to June, reaching 1.48 million tonnes—the highest level since September 2025. It is worth noting that these figures represent imports via sea routes and exclude duty-free imports from Nepal via land or border routes.

Industry analysts observe that the festive season, which typically sees a surge in edible oil demand and consumption, is fast approaching. Indian refiners are proactively building stocks to meet this anticipated demand. Heavy imports of edible oils are likely to continue through August and September; palm oil imports are expected to cross the 700,000-tonne mark again in August.

India primarily imports palm oil from Indonesia and Malaysia, soybean oil from Argentina and Brazil, and sunflower oil from Russia, Ukraine, and Argentina.