Imports of cooking oils rise 51% in September

INDIA'S IMPORTS OF edible oils — palm, soybean and sunflower — rose sharply by over 51% to 1.63 million tonne (MT) in September, largely driven by increase in crude palm oil imports, the Solvent Extractors Association of India (SEA) said on Wednesday.

- SANDIP DAS

However, imports of refined RBD palmolein came down to a trickle last month for the first time since 2021 following the high duty difference compared to crude palm oil. Imports of refined RBD palmolein was 84,279 tonne in September last year.

“Import duty difference between crude palm oil and refined RBD Palmolein rose from 8.25% to 19.25% in May, 2025 (via a govt notification) made the import of refined oil uneconomic gradually reduced,” B V Mehta, executive director, SEA, said.