India’s imports of edible oils fell by 30% in June 2026, driven by a significant contraction in shipments of palm and soybean oil.
The decline marks a notable shift for the world’s largest importer of vegetable oils, suggesting that domestic demand is softening amid tighter margins and competitive pricing dynamics.
Data from the Solvent Extractors' Association of India (SEA) shows total imports dropped to 1.11 million tonnes for the month.
The reduction was broad-based, with both palm oil and soybean oil seeing reduced volumes.
This follows a trend where Indian palm oil imports had already hit a 14-month low in the preceding period, according to earlier dealer reports.
The drop in Indian buying activity has implications for global vegetable oil markets.