India's veg oil imports jump in December, but local farming is catching up
India imported 8% more vegetable oil in December 2025—about 13.8 lakh tonnes—mainly thanks to big increases in soyabean and sunflower oil shipments, according to the Solvent Extractors's Association.
But if you look at the last two months together, total imports actually dropped by 12% compared to last year.
Soyabean and sunflower oils take the lead
Soyabean oil imports shot up by over 20%, and sunflower oil surged by more than 32%.
Meanwhile, palm oil from Indonesia and Malaysia fell sharply, indicating a possible shift in India's import preferences.
Homegrown efforts are rising
Even with higher imports this month, Indian farmers are planting more oilseeds than before—Rabi season sowing is up over 3%, covering nearly one crore hectares.
If this keeps up, India could rely less on imports and get closer to self-sufficiency in edible oils.