India’s July edible oil imports to surge to record on robust palm buying, sources say

NEW DELHI : India bought a record amount of edible oils for July delivery, as refiners increased palm oil and soyoil purchases due to lucrative prices and ahead of an anticipated hike in import duties, industry and government sources told Reuters.

Higher palm oil purchases by the world’s biggest importer of vegetable oils will help to reduce inventories in top producer Indonesia and Malaysia and support benchmark prices.

Edible oil imports are set to jump to a record 1.92 million metric tons, up nearly 26% from a month ago, according to average estimates from the data shared by trade houses.

India on average has been importing 1.2 million tons of edible oil so far in the current marketing year which began November 2023.

Around 1.45 million tons of edible oils have already been discharged at various ports, including 850,000 tons of palm oil, said a government official, who declined to be named.

Palm oil imports in July are expected to jump 45% from a month ago to 1.14 million metric ton, the highest in 20 months, dealers said.

“Correction in palm oil prices in May and June made it cheaper than rival oils. During this period, the refining margin in India was also healthy, prompting refiners to place orders for July shipments,” said Mr. Sandeep Bajoria, CEO of Sunvin Group, a vegetable oil brokerage.

Palm oil’s discount to soyoil widened to more than $100 per ton in May from less than $10 in April, dealers said.

“Expectations of a duty hike in the budget also prompted some buyers to increase purchases for July shipments,” Mr. Bajoria said.

Finance Minister Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday presented the budget for the 2024-25 financial year, although she didn’t make any changes to the duty structure on edible oils.

Soyoil imports in July are set to jump 45% from a month ago to 400,000 metric tons, the highest in 13 months, data showed.

Soyoil shipments originating from South America take more than six weeks, and some of the delayed shipments landed in July, which lifted soyoil imports, said Mr. Rajesh Patel, Managing Partner at edible oil trader and broker GGN Research.

Sunflower oil imports could fall to 380,000 tons in July, down 18% from the last month’s record shipments, data showed.

India buys palm oil mainly from Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand, while it imports soyoil and sunflower oil from Argentina, Brazil, Russia and Ukraine.