Vegetable oil imports jump 14% in November-January

The country's vegetable oil imports jumped 14 per cent in the first quarter of the current oil year (November-October) on rising domestic demand and stagnant oilseed production.

According to data compiled by the Solvent Extractors' Association of India (SEA), for the quarter ended January 2008, the country's vegetable oil imports totalled 12,46,441 tonnes compared with 10,91,006 tonnes a year ago. 

ON THE UP Imports of vegetable oils
Month	Edible oils	Non- edible oils	Total
Nov.,2007	347,320	80,592	427,912
Dec.,2007	276,782	28,494	305,276
Jan.,2008	457,601	55,652	513,253
Nov'07-Jan'08	1,081,703	164,738	1,246,441
Nov'06-Jan'07	932,214	158,792	1,091,006

Edible oil imports during the quarter increased 16 per cent to 1,081,703 tonnes against 932,214 tonnes in the same quarter last year. Imports of non-edible oil, however, rose by a marginal 4 per cent to 164,738 tonnes from 158,792 tonnes.

For January, total imports of edible oil surged by a whopping 46 per cent to 457,601 tonnes compared with 312,584 tonnes in the same month previous year. Non-edible oil imports rose by 54 per cent to 55,652 tonnes during the month.

Imports of refined oil (RBD Palmolein) grew by 4 per cent to 48,032 tonnes during the quarter, while crude oil imports increased from 908,725 tonnes to 1,033,671 tonnes.

Palm oil imports during November-January was 990,453 tonnes compared with 737,528 tonnes for the same period of last year, up by 13 per cent.

Soft oil imports, on the other hand, declined sharply from 194,686 tonnes to 91,250 tonnes. Sunflower oil was not imported during the quarter, due to its high international prices.