The country's vegetable oils import rose 13 per cent to 10.33 lakh tonnes in May on account of increase in shipments of edible oils, industry body SEA said today.
Vegetable oils import stood at 9.17 lakh tonnes in the same month of the previous year, it said in a statement.
India meets about 60 per cent of its annual vegetable oil demand of 17-18 million tonnes via imports. Palm oils make up 80 per cent of the country's total vegetable oil imports.
Vegetable oil import comprises of both edible and non-edible oils.
The import of edible oil was up 14.5 per cent to 10.22 lakh tonnes from 8.92 lakh tonnes earlier.
The import of non-edible oil has almost halved to 11,546 tonnes in May 2014 from 25,898 tonnes in the same month last year.
"Indian refiners prefer to import crude soft oils over CPO in India, which was reflected in pattern of import in last few months," Solvent Extractors Association (SEA) said.
Soft oils are edible oils that are liquid at room temperature.
Import of vegetable oils during the November-May period of oil year (November-October) 2013-14 increased to 6.198 lakh tonnes from 6.197 lakh tonnes earlier.
