What it is
Pressed from oil palm fresh fruit bunches. Refiners make RBD palm olein for cooking and stearin for vanaspati, bakery fats, soap and snacks frying.
Crude palm oil (FFA-graded)RBD palm oleinPalm stearinCrude palm kernel oil
Where India produces it
- Andhra Pradesh
2023-24: 331299 tonnes
- Telangana
2023-24: 52568 tonnes
- Kerala
2023-24: 5052 tonnes
- Karnataka
2023-24: 3349 tonnes
Where imports come from
India imported 156.55 lakh tonnes of edible oils in 2023-24, against net domestic availability of 121.75 lakh tonnes and total consumption of 278.30 lakh tonnes. Domestic CPO output was only 394,955 tonnes in 2023-24; crude palm oil imports were US$ 6,402.12 million in 2024-25.
- Indonesia — US$ 2492.17 million imported under HS 151110 in 2024-25
- Malaysia — US$ 2393.43 million imported under HS 151110 in 2024-25
- Thailand — US$ 677.89 million imported under HS 151110 in 2024-25
- Singapore — US$ 510.1 million imported under HS 151110 in 2024-25
- Papua New Guinea — US$ 228.42 million imported under HS 151110 in 2024-25
Rules before you buy or sell
- Customs duty on crude and refined edible oils is changed often by CBIC notification; check the current tariff before you book a cargo.
- Edible oil producers and importers file production and stock returns under the Vegetable Oil Products, Production and Availability (Regulation) Order, 2011.
- FSSAI licence or registration is needed to process, pack, store or sell it as food (Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006).
- Retail packs must carry Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011 declarations.
Storage and handling
Heated, coated steel tanks; keep away from water and air to hold FFA down.
Businesses that use it
Palm Oil Processing →Namkeen / Bhujia Unit →Potato Chips and Wafers →Bakery (Bread / Biscuit / Cookies) →Instant Noodles Making →