In the months of November and December 2024, India imported a total of approximately 27.76 lakh tonnes of edible oils. The main suppliers of edible oils during this period were Indonesia, Argentina, Malaysia, Russia, and others. Indonesia emerged as the largest supplier, exporting about 7.94 lakh tonnes, mainly palm oil, to India.
The breakdown of imports was as follows:
- Crude Palm Oil (CPO): 8.74 lakh tonnes
- Crude Degummed Soybean Oil: 8.28 lakh tonnes
- Crude Sunflower Oil: 6.06 lakh tonnes
- RBD Palmolein: 4.50 lakh tonnes
- Crude Palm Kernel Oil: 19 thousand tonnes
Import sources included:
- Indonesia: 7.94 lakh tonnes
- Argentina: 6.59 lakh tonnes
- Malaysia: 4.82 lakh tonnes
- Russia: 4.80 lakh tonnes
- Ukraine: 1.50 lakh tonnes
- Brazil: 82 thousand tonnes
- Thailand: 19 thousand tonnes
- Other countries: 1.10 lakh tonnes
Imports of crude and refined palm oils came primarily from Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand. Soybean oil came mostly from Argentina, Brazil, and Russia, while sunflower oil was imported from Russia, Ukraine, and Argentina. This indicates India's efforts to diversify its sources by importing edible oils not only from traditional suppliers but also from new countries.