News Capsule: Vegetable Oil Imports (Nov 2025 – Feb 2026): Up 6% – SEA
12-Mar-2026 02:55 PM
News Capsule: Vegetable Oil Imports (Nov 2025 – Feb 2026): Up 6% – SEA
February 2026 Imports Up 35%
★ Total vegetable oil imports in February 2026 stood at 1,316,545 tons, up 35% from 977,477 tons in February 2025. This included 1,292,043 tons of edible oils and 24,502 tons of non-edible oils.
★ During the first four months of the oil year 2025-26 (Nov–Feb), total vegetable oil imports reached 5,324,275 tons, compared to 5,023,900 tons in the same period last year, an increase of 6%.
★ Refined oil imports have declined sharply due to the Indian government’s policy measures.
★ Edible oil imports in February 2026 stood at 12.92 lakh tons, slightly lower than 13.12 lakh tons in January 2026.
★ Conflicts in the Middle East and tensions in the Black Sea region have increased supply concerns. Possible disruptions in sunflower oil shipments from Russia and Eastern Europe, along with higher freight costs for palm oil, are pushing prices higher.
★ Rising crude oil prices are increasing interest among biofuel producers in palm oil-based biodiesel, which could support palm oil demand and prices in the near term.
★ During Nov–Dec 2025, Nepal exported about 101,000 tons of refined oils to India, including 89,753 tons of refined soybean oil. In January 2026, around 60,000 tons of refined oils were exported.
★ As of 1 March 2026, India’s total edible oil stock stood at 1.872 million tons, up by 85,000 tons from 1.787 million tons on 1 February 2026.
★ Palm oil imports during Nov 2025 – Feb 2026 rose to 2.758 million tons from 1.997 million tons last year. Its share increased from 41% to 53%.
★ Soft oil imports declined to 2.460 million tons, with its share falling from 59% to 47%.
★ Tensions in the Russia-Ukraine region and disruptions in the Red Sea route could delay sunflower oil shipments and increase logistics costs.
★ Supply concerns are causing volatility in domestic edible oil prices, particularly in sunflower oil.
★ Logistical disruptions could also affect India’s oilmeal exports to Southeast Asia and the Middle East, which account for nearly 20% of total oilmeal exports.