Indonesia is poised to dominate India’s edible oil market, with palm oil exports expected to soar past 5 million tonnes in 2025, up from 4.8 million tonnes in 2024, thanks to India’s slashed import tariffs. Eddy Martono, Chairman of the Indonesia Palm Oil Council (IPOC), revealed this bullish forecast in an exclusive interview with PTI, citing India’s recent cut in crude palm oil customs duty from 20% to 10% to boost domestic supply and tame prices.

The world’s top palm oil producer is also supporting India’s ambitious National Mission on Edible Oils–Oil Palm (NMEO-OP) by shipping 100,000 germinated palm seeds this year, aiding India’s goal to expand palm cultivation to 1 million hectares by 2025-26. Martono noted that India imported 500,000 seeds in 2023 and 2024 combined, with each hectare requiring about 200 seeds. Indonesia is ready to offer technical expertise to ensure success.

Despite a dip in exports from 6 million tonnes in 2023 to 4.8 million in 2024 due to higher prices, palm oil’s competitiveness has surged since April 2025, trading below soybean oil. “I’m confident exports to India will rise in 2025,” Martono said.

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A recent Memorandum of Understanding between IPOC and the Indian Vegetable Oil Producers’ Association (IVPA) aims to strengthen ties and dispel health myths about palm oil. “Palm oil is a healthy oil, and we’re working with IVPA to counter misconceptions,” Martono emphasized, underlining India’s critical role as the world’s largest edible oil importer.

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