High domestic consumption and unexpected climate changes are paving way for the whopping increase of edible oil import to India.
According to Solvent Extractors Association, India had imported 9.24 million tons of edible oil to the country in the period between 2009 November to 2010 October. The import was just 8.66 million tons in the same corresponding period in 2008-09.
According to market sources, palmoil, sunflower oil and soybean oil are the major edible oil varieties imported by India. They are used for both domestic as well as commercial
purposes and high consumption rate has been registered in both categories.
Changing food habits and the increasing demand for hotel and snack food items have also contributed to the high consumption of edible oil, sources said.
As per the figures, a total of 12.99 million tons of edible oil was consumed in India in 2007-08 period. It had increased to 13.76 million tone in 2008-09 and to 14.8 million
tone in 2009-10.
This was despite the domestic production of oil seeds in India increasing by 4.5 per cent in the period between 2009 November and 2010 October.
But, the oil seed cultivation in 20 states and Union Territories in the country had come down from 95.73 lakh hectare to 92.27 lakh hectare. Adverse climatic conditions and
global warming have contributed a lot to the sharp fall in production, they added.
India began import of edible oil at large since 1996, industry sources said.