Edible oil imports up 19%

The imports of edible oil during November 2004 - September 2005 was up by 19 per cent to 4,630,483 tonne from 3,883,298 tonne in the same period of last year. According to Solvent Extractors' Association, the non-edible oil import is up by 85 per cent.

Imports of vegetable oil, both edible and non-edible, for the month of September 2005 stood at 508,332 tonne. Out of which edible oil is reported at 457,934 tonne compared to 587,885 in September 2004.

Overall imports of refined oil were 436,823 tonne while crude oil imports were reported at 4,193,660 tonne during the oil year (November 2004 -September 2005). Refined oil has decreased to 9 per cent from 18 per cent, while crude oil has increased from 82 per cent to 91 per cent for same trend of last year, because of the duty difference leading to value additional within the country.

Palm Oil products import has touched to 2,777,276 tonne, while imports of soft oils, mainly soyoil (1,818,895 tonne) increased to 1,853,207 tonne during the oil year from 801,220 tonne same period previous year.

Soybean oil import has increased by two and half times in the current oil year.

Imports of soyoil saw negligible growth while palm oil in terms of quantity reduced to 2,777,276 from 3,082,078 tonne, however its share reduced from 79 per cent to 60 per cent while share of soft oil gone up from 21 per cent to 40 per cent in first 11 months of the oil year 2004-05.