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India's palm oil imports in June jump by 61%, reaching an 11-month high

Five dealers report that India's imports of palm oil reached an 11-month peak in June. This was due to lower domestic stocks and a discount on rivals such as soyoil or sunflower oil, which encouraged refiners and retailers to increase their purchases.

India's increased palm oil imports, as the world's largest buyer of vegetable oil, will help to reduce stocks in top producers Indonesia, and Malaysia, and support benchmark Malaysian Palm Oil futures.

According to estimates by dealers, palm oil imports increased 61% in June compared to the previous month, reaching 953,000 metric tonnes, which is the highest level since July 2024.

Since last month, palm oil has gained lost market share. Sandeep Bajoria is the CEO of Sunvin Group and a vegetable oil broker. He said that palm oil was now $100 cheaper per ton than other oils.

According to the Solvent Extractors' Association of India (SEAI), which will publish its June import figures by mid-July, India imported an average of 475,699 tonnes of palm oil per month in the first seven months of this current marketing year, ending October 2025.

India imported more than 750,000 tonnes of palm oil per month in the last marketing period.

Dealers estimated that soyoil imports fell by 9% in June, to 363,000 tonnes, while imports of sunflower oil rose 18%, to 216,000 tonnes.

Dealers estimate that the increase in palm oil and sunflower oils imports to India increased the country's total edible imports by 30% from June to 1,53 million tonnes, the highest level since November.

According to Rajesh Patel of GGN Research (an edible oil trader), palm oil imports will remain strong in the months ahead due to its attractive prices and a rise in production in major producing countries.

India imports mainly palm oil from Indonesia and Malaysia. It also imports sunflower oil and soyoil from Argentina, Brazil and Ukraine.

GGN Research estimates that Nepal's edible oils imports fell to 75,000 tonnes in June from 155,000 tons a month earlier. (Reporting by Rajendra Jadhav. Mark Potter edited the story.

(source: Reuters)