India’s cooking oil imports rose by 10% and stood at 15.57 million tonne (MT) in 2017-18 on higher palm oil shipments. The country had imported 14.21 MT during 2016-17 financial year. According to industry body Solvent Extractors Association (SEA) data, while import of edible oils stood at 15.1 MT in 2017-18, non-edible oils took a share of 3,92,115 tonne.
Over 60% of the total cooking oil imports comprises palm oils, whose inbound shipment has grown after Malaysia withdrew the export duty. As on April 1, total edible oils stock at ports and in pipelines is estimated at 2.11 MT, higher than the monthly requirement of 1.9 MT.
India imports palm oil mainly from Indonesia and Malaysia, and a small quantity of crude soft oil, including soyabean oil from Latin America. Sunflower oil is imported from Ukraine and Russia.