MUMBAI, April 13 (Reuters) - India's palm oil imports in March dropped nearly 19% on-month and hit a three-month low after a rally in tropical oil prices, in line with energy markets, prompted refiners to hold back purchases, a trade body said on Monday.
Lower imports could deplete stocks and support local oilseed prices, but may force the world's biggest edible oil importer to step up overseas buying in the coming months to replenish stocks.
India's palm oil imports in March fell to 689,462 metric tons, the lowest since December 2025, down from 847,689 tons in February, the Mumbai-based Solvent Extractors' Association of India (SEA) said in a statement.
Imports of soyoil dropped 4% to 287,220 tons, while those of sunflower oil were up about 35% at 196,486 tons, the SEA said.
India's overall edible oil imports fell more than 9% from February to 1.17 million tons in March, the lowest since April 2025, as palm oil and soyoil purchases declined, the data showed.
India sources most of its palm oil from Indonesia and Malaysia, while soyoil and sunflower oil are imported mainly from Argentina, Brazil, Russia and Ukraine.
Supplies of rapeseed oil from the new-season crop are rising, helping to limit imports in the short term, said a Mumbai-based dealer with a global trade house.
"Buyers are waiting for a price correction. If prices don't ease in the next few weeks, Indian refiners will step up purchases," the dealer said.
Reporting by Rajendra Jadhav; Editing by Subhranshu Sahu
Source: Reuters