Argentina tops India's edible oil imports on record crop surge

Argentina has solidified its position as the top supplier of edible oils to India for the 2025/26 marketing year, outpacing traditional leaders like Malaysia. In the first ten months of the season, India imported 3.059 million tons of vegetable oils from Argentina, compared to 2.62 million tons from Malaysia. This shift is driven by Argentina's strong production base, particularly in soybean and sunflower oil, which are in high demand in India.

Argentina's soybean crop for 2025/26 is estimated at 50 million tons, while sunflower seed production hit a record 7 million tons. These abundant supplies support higher exports, with soybean oil shipments expected to reach around 6.15 million tons. The country is also poised to expand sunflower production further in 2026/27, with planted area forecast to rise by 14% to 3.3 million hectares.

India's recent reduction in import duties on vegetable oils has further boosted Argentina's competitiveness. Lower duties are expected to enhance the appeal of Argentine supplies in one of the world's largest edible oil markets, where India imports more than half of its vegetable oil needs.