India’s per capita edible oil consumption has nearly tripled in the last two decades, escalating the country’s dependence on imports and deepening public health concerns related to obesity and non-communicable diseases, according to a report by Mint. From just 8.2 kg in 2001, per capita annual consumption of edible oil has soared to 23.5 kg—nearly double the limit of 12 kg recommended by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). Niti Aayog member Ramesh Chand noted that the government is working to enhance domestic production under the National Mission on Edible Oils, with a dual focus on palm oil and traditional oilseeds, Mint reported.
India remains heavily reliant on edible oil imports
Despite some gains in domestic output, India remains heavily reliant on imports. Recent data from the Solvent Extractors’ Association of India (SEA) shows the country consumes about 25–26 million tonnes of edible oil annually, while producing just 11 million tonnes locally—leaving a 60 per cent gap filled through imports. India sources palm oil from Indonesia and Malaysia, soybean oil from Argentina and Brazil, and sunflower oil from Russia and Ukraine.
Source: Online/OFA
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