India’s reliance on imported cooking oils, including palm, soybean, and sunflower, is expected to remain high in 2024–25, with only a marginal decline projected, according to India Ratings and Research (Ind-Ra).

BulletsIn

•  India imports about 57% of its annual edible oil needs.
• Total annual requirement stands at 26–27 million tonnes.
•  Import dependency likely to persist through 2025–26.
•  Lower kharif acreage may reduce domestic oilseed output.
•  Soybean oil imports expected to rise due to high palm oil prices.
•  Palm oil imports are steady at 7–8 million tonnes annually.
•  Soybean oil imports have increased from 3.5 MT to 5 MT in recent years.
•  Sunflower oil imports increased from 2.5 MT to nearly 3.5 MT.
•  Crude palm oil prices may soften by 2026 as production rises.
•  Indonesia’s biofuel blending policy could affect the future supply-demand balance.