El Nino effect: Oilseed imports surge in April

Pune: India has rapidly increased imports of oilseeds, the raw material used for making cooking oils, amid concerns that El Nino could alter rainfall patterns and reduce crop output locally and in other producing regions.

Imports in April this year were nearly half the total oilseeds the country sourced from abroad in the entire fiscal year ended March 31, according to data compiled by the industry body Solvent Extractors' Association (SEA).

Soybeans accounted for 95% of total oilseed imports, with Indian buyers offering higher prices than China and Pakistan to African exporters. A nearly 12% decline in last year's domestic production, coupled with concerns over erratic weather, triggered the unusual surge in imports, industry experts said.


India is the largest importer and second largest consumer of edible oils. It meets nearly 60% of its edible oil requirement through imports.

Soybean is the country's second largest domestically grown oilseed crop and critical for improving self-sufficiency in cooking oils. Indian oilseed crushers and traders imported nearly 200,000 tonnes of soybean worth about ₹1,000 crore in April.

"Soyabean imports in April are expected to be one of the highest imports in a month," said SEA executive director BV Mehta. "This extraordinary jump was due to the sharp rise in domestic soybean prices, which made imports commercially attractive to bridge supply gaps and meet industry demand."

An analysis of Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) data by SEA showed total oilseed imports in April, the latest month for which data are available, about 209,000 tonnes, or 43% of the 481,000 tonnes imported in the entire fiscal 2026. Soybean accounted for 198,000 tonnes of these exports, compared with 278,000 tonnes. In FY25, total oilseed imports were 309,000 tonnes, including 154,000 tonnes of soybean.

April's soybean imports were equivalent to 75% of the total soybean imports in FY26 and 135% of FY25 imports.

Imports of oilseeds, however, are small compared with local production. For instance, India's soybean output in 2025-26 was 12.5 million tonnes, as per government estimates, and 11 million tonnes according to the Soyabean Processors' Association of India. While this year's sowing is yet to complete, there are worries about El Nino significantly affecting production as it is largely a rain-fed crop.