We focus on grains and food industry.
We focus on grains and food industry.
We focus on grains and food industry.
We focus on grains and food industry.
We focus on grains and food industry.
We focus on grains and food industry.
We focus on grains and food industry.
We focus on grains and food industry. current time
India’s vegetable oil imports reflecting a growth of 3pc
As per data gathered by the Solvent Extractors’ Association of India (SEA), which is the leading trade organization for edible oils, in spite of the rising international prices for edible oils and the substantial depreciation of the Indian rupee against the US Dollar, India imported 166.51 lakh tonne (lt) of edible oils, an increase from 161.82 lt in the Financial Year (FY) 2026, reflecting a growth of 3 percent.
SEA stated that a key factor contributing to the rise in total edible oil imports is the notable surge in imports from Nepal under the SAFTA agreement, which allows Nepal to export refined edible oils to India without any duty.
From April 2025 to March 2026, Nepal exported 7.36 lt of edible oils to India, a significant increase from the 3.45 lt exported in the previous year, marking a remarkable rise of 113 percent. The majority of these imports from Nepal were refined soybean oil, along with smaller amounts of sunflower oil, RBD Palmolein, and rapeseed oil.
If zero-duty imports under SAFTA had not been accessible to Nepal, India’s total edible oil imports for the year 2025-26 would probably have stayed below the previous year’s figures, even with the growing domestic demand. The significant rise in duty-free imports of refined oils from Nepal played a crucial role in the increase of India’s overall edible oil imports during that year, as stated by SEA.
Notably, India continues to remain structurally dependent on edible oil imports as domestic production fulfills only around 40 percent of total requirement. Low oilseed productivity, fragmented landholdings, inadequate irrigation facilities and policy preference towards wheat and rice cultivation continue to restrict growth in domestic oilseed production.
The SEA believes that enhancing domestic oilseed production, boosting productivity, and promoting value addition within the nation are crucial for diminishing long-term reliance on edible oil imports and ensuring stability in the domestic edible oil industry. In this regard, Prime Minister Modi’s recent call for moderation in edible oil consumption is particularly important, as curbing excessive consumption while simultaneously increasing domestic production would aid in decreasing import reliance, alleviating pressure on foreign exchange expenditures, and strengthening India’s long-term edible oil security in light of growing global supply uncertainties.
