Soybean Oil Imports Would be Permitted Duty-Free Into India Until June

The largest importer of vegetable oils in the world, India, canceled a duty-free import quota of 2 million tonnes of crude sunflower oil and soybean oil for the current fiscal year, which began on April 1.

However, the action delayed cargoes that were loaded before the government deadline of March 31—90,000 tonnes at Indian ports and 180,000 tonnes in route, according to dealers.

According to Sandeep Bajoria, CEO of Sunvin Group, a brokerage and consultancy firm for vegetable oils, after this explanation, a few shipments that had been delayed at ports for a few weeks would finally enter the country.

Following the misunderstanding over import regulations that caused hundreds of thousands of cargoes to become delayed at ports, early in May, India made it clear that imports of soy oil and sunflower oil that were delivered before March 31 will be allowed duty-free till the end of June.

However, the imports would lower local oilseed prices and reduce farmer income, according to B.V. Mehta, executive director of the Solvent Extractors’ Association of India. The government notification would be a relief for importers.

Since the clarification would make more soy oil and sunflower oil available, India’s imports of palm oil in May may decline, according to a New Delhi-based dealer with a multinational trade house.

Its imports of palm oil dropped 30% from the previous month to a 14-month low in April as price-conscious consumers switched to sunflower oil and soy oil due to palm oil’s premium over competing soft oils, five dealers told Reuters last week.

While the global market for soybean oil is anticipated to reach $69.7 billion by 2030, expanding at a CAGR of 4.4% from 2023 to 2030. Soybean oil is the most common vegetable oil traded on international markets, right after palm oil. Geographically speaking, the Asia-Pacific Soybean Oil Market held a 32% share of the worldwide soybean oil market’s revenue in 2022. This is a result of the rising demand for soybean oil in developing nations like India and China for domestic consumption as well as in the food service sector.