Palm oil imports in India
India: Palm oil imports was 9.35 million tonnes in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
9.35 million tonnes
Change on year
up 2.0%
World rank
1st
of 190 countries
All-time high
9.73 million tonnes
in 2019
All-time low
0 tonnes
in 1969
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Palm oil imports in India, 1961–2023
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes.
Analysis
India recorded 9.35 million tonnes for palm oil imports in 2023.
The figure is up 2.0% on the previous year and up 11.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, palm oil imports in India peaked at 9.73 million tonnes in 2019 and was at its lowest, 0 tonnes, in 1969.
India ranks 1st of 190 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Palm oil imports in India, year by year
| Year | tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 34,000 tonnes | — |
| 1962 | 30,000 tonnes | -11.8% |
| 1963 | 37,000 tonnes | +23.3% |
| 1964 | 36,000 tonnes | -2.7% |
| 1965 | 8,000 tonnes | -77.8% |
| 1966 | 11,000 tonnes | +37.5% |
| 1967 | 8,000 tonnes | -27.3% |
| 1968 | 2,000 tonnes | -75.0% |
| 1969 | 0 tonnes | -100.0% |
| 1970 | 0 tonnes | — |
| 1971 | 1,000 tonnes | — |
| 1972 | 1,000 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 52,000 tonnes | +5100.0% |
| 1974 | 53,000 tonnes | +1.9% |
| 1975 | 18,000 tonnes | -66.0% |
| 1976 | 21,000 tonnes | +16.7% |
| 1977 | 386,000 tonnes | +1738.1% |
| 1978 | 379,000 tonnes | -1.8% |
| 1979 | 309,000 tonnes | -18.5% |
| 1980 | 722,000 tonnes | +133.7% |
| 1981 | 558,000 tonnes | -22.7% |
| 1982 | 569,000 tonnes | +2.0% |
| 1983 | 671,000 tonnes | +17.9% |
| 1984 | 583,000 tonnes | -13.1% |
| 1985 | 712,000 tonnes | +22.1% |
| 1986 | 926,000 tonnes | +30.1% |
| 1987 | 1.15 million tonnes | +24.0% |
| 1988 | 649,000 tonnes | -43.5% |
| 1989 | 302,000 tonnes | -53.5% |
| 1990 | 499,000 tonnes | +65.2% |
| 1991 | 260,000 tonnes | -47.9% |
| 1992 | 263,000 tonnes | +1.2% |
| 1993 | 171,000 tonnes | -35.0% |
| 1994 | 380,000 tonnes | +122.2% |
| 1995 | 940,000 tonnes | +147.4% |
| 1996 | 1.27 million tonnes | +35.5% |
| 1997 | 1.30 million tonnes | +2.0% |
| 1998 | 1.82 million tonnes | +40.3% |
| 1999 | 3.25 million tonnes | +78.1% |
| 2000 | 3.37 million tonnes | +3.8% |
| 2001 | 3.05 million tonnes | -9.5% |
| 2002 | 3.36 million tonnes | +10.3% |
| 2003 | 4.41 million tonnes | +31.1% |
| 2004 | 3.77 million tonnes | -14.5% |
| 2005 | 2.75 million tonnes | -27.0% |
| 2006 | 3.11 million tonnes | +12.9% |
| 2007 | 3.89 million tonnes | +25.2% |
| 2008 | 5.92 million tonnes | +52.3% |
| 2009 | 6.46 million tonnes | +9.0% |
| 2010 | 3.98 million tonnes | -38.3% |
| 2011 | 5.97 million tonnes | +49.9% |
| 2012 | 7.65 million tonnes | +28.1% |
| 2013 | 8.39 million tonnes | +9.6% |
| 2014 | 7.93 million tonnes | -5.4% |
| 2015 | 9.54 million tonnes | +20.2% |
| 2016 | 8.25 million tonnes | -13.5% |
| 2017 | 9.18 million tonnes | +11.3% |
| 2018 | 8.80 million tonnes | -4.1% |
| 2019 | 9.73 million tonnes | +10.5% |
| 2020 | 7.20 million tonnes | -26.0% |
| 2021 | 8.18 million tonnes | +13.5% |
| 2022 | 9.17 million tonnes | +12.2% |
| 2023 | 9.35 million tonnes | +2.0% |
India compared with similar countries
- India's 9.35 million tonnes is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 54,000 tonnes, 173.1× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- India's 9.35 million tonnes is above the median for South Asia, which is 72,000 tonnes, 129.8× the median. (6 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Palm oil imports in India changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1973 | +5100.0% | 1,000 tonnes | 52,000 tonnes |
| 1977 | +1738.1% | 21,000 tonnes | 386,000 tonnes |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 18,444 tonnes | 0 tonnes | 37,000 tonnes | 9 |
| 1970s | 122,000 tonnes | 0 tonnes | 386,000 tonnes | 10 |
| 1980s | 684,000 tonnes | 302,000 tonnes | 1.15 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.02 million tonnes | 171,000 tonnes | 3.25 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.01 million tonnes | 2.75 million tonnes | 6.46 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2010s | 7.94 million tonnes | 3.98 million tonnes | 9.73 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 8.47 million tonnes | 7.20 million tonnes | 9.35 million tonnes | 4 |
Countries ranked near India
More energy & mining data for India
- Fossil fuel consumption by fuel, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Primary energy use, annual growth rate 0.7224 % change on previous year (2025)
- Coal consumption, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Coal consumption, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Primary energy use, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Primary energy use, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Coal production, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Coal production, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Fossil fuel consumption by fuel, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Fuel imports 31.5% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is palm oil imports in India?
- Palm oil imports in India was 9.35 million tonnes in 2023, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest palm oil imports recorded in India?
- The highest recorded value was 9.73 million tonnes in 2019.
- What is the lowest palm oil imports recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 tonnes in 1969.
- How does India rank for palm oil imports?
- India ranks 1st out of 190 countries with data for 2023.
- Is palm oil imports rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is up 11.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this India data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Palm oil imports. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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