Soybean oil imports rise due to disruptions in sunflower oil shipments

02-Sep-2026 07:30 PM

New Delhi. As expected, August saw massive imports of edible oils, with palm oil and soybean oil accounting for nearly 90 percent of the total volume; the share of sunflower oil, however, declined significantly. Indian refiners are ramping up edible oil imports to meet strong demand during the festive season. A leading analyst from Rajkot (Gujarat) notes that edible oil imports typically surge during the August-September period.

It is worth noting that India observes a long series of festivals between August and November, a period marked by a significant rise in domestic demand and consumption of edible oils. These festivals include Raksha Bandhan, Ganesh Chaturthi, Navratri, Dussehra, Diwali, and Chhath. Refiners typically begin building up their edible oil stocks in anticipation of this period, a trend observed this year as well.

While there is usually a balance in the imports of palm, soy, and sunflower oils, disruptions in the shipment of one type often lead to increased imports of another. In August, sunflower oil imports dropped sharply as shipments from Black Sea ports were severely disrupted by the ongoing, intense conflict between its two top suppliers—Russia and Ukraine. Both nations are launching fierce attacks on each other's ports. Nevertheless, sunflower oil imports from Argentina and certain other countries continue.

Imports of palm oil from Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand, as well as soybean oil from Argentina and Brazil, are proceeding without interruption. Analysts predict that heavy imports of these three edible oils will continue through September. With domestic prices for palm, soybean, sunflower, mustard, and groundnut oils remaining high, there is a strong incentive to import cheaper edible oils from abroad.