India’s vegetable oil imports rose 13% to 7.94 million tonnes in the first half of the 2025-26 oil year. Palm oil shipments nearly doubled, lifting overall imports even as cooking oil prices climbed and the rupee weakened. At the same time, vegetable oil stocks increased sharply, pointing to better supply availability despite cost pressures.
The Solvent Extractors’ Association of India (SEA) has backed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call to cut edible oil consumption, warning that rising imports are draining foreign exchange and leaving India exposed to global shocks. SEA says India imports nearly 60% of its edible oil needs and spent about Rs 1.61 lakh crore on imports in 2024-25, with West Asia tensions, El Nino and tighter global supplies likely to push costs higher.
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