Low Palmolein Imports Aid Domestic Refiners

14-Jan-2026 08:56 PM

Mumbai. A notable feature of edible oil imports in the first two months of the current marketing season has been the negligible quantity of refined oil imported. In November 2025, 3500 tons of RBD palmolein were imported, while imports were zero in December.

This was the first time in a long time that there were no imports of refined palmolein in a single month (December 2025). In the two months of November-December 2024, 5.17 lakh tons of refined edible oil were imported into the country, which plummeted to just 3500 tons in November-December 2025.

It is noteworthy that during the entire 2024-25 marketing season (November-October), 17,37,228 tons of refined edible oil (mainly RBD palmolein) were imported into the country, while the quantity was 19,31,254 tons in the 2023-24 season,

21,06,645 tons in 2022-23, and 18,40,540 tons in the 2021-22 season. It is understood that the higher tariff difference is reducing the interest of Indian buyers in importing refined palmolein, as duty-free imports from Nepal via land routes create greater price competition.

In India, RBD palmolein is mainly imported from Indonesia and Malaysia via sea routes, with some imports also coming from Thailand.

Currently, importing from these countries is not proving to be economically viable. On the other hand, Indian refiners are giving special priority to the import of crude degummed soybean oil and crude sunflower oil, while the import of crude palm oil (CPO) continues as usual.

Soybean oil is mainly imported from Argentina and Brazil, and sunflower oil is imported from countries like Russia, Ukraine, and Argentina, and this trend is expected to continue.