India’s edible oil imports grew by 3% in FY26 to 166.51 lakh tons, up from 161.82 lakh tons in FY25. This increase was driven primarily by a surge in duty-free shipments from Nepal, even as the broader market faced higher international prices and rupee depreciation.
Oil trade data released by the Solvent Extractors’ Association of India (SEA) says total imports reached 166.51 lakh tons.
Imports from Nepal skyrocketed by 113% to 7.36 lakh tons (up from 3.45 lakh tons in FY25), which was facilitated by zero-duty access under the SAFTA agreement, with refined soybean oil making up the bulk of these shipments.
The 3% growth occurred despite headwinds like elevated global edible oil prices and a weaker Indian Rupee, which made importing generally costlier.
India relies on imports for over 60% of its domestic edible oil consumption. The surge in cheap refined imports has raised concerns among domestic producers, leading the government to weigh potential import duty hikes to support local oilseed farmers.
“The surge in duty-free imports of refined oils from Nepal substantially contributed to the increase in India’s total edible oil imports during the year,” SEA said in a statement.
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Naresh Khanna – 10 February 2025
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