BOMBAY, Nov 22 (Reuters) - Edible oil imports by India, the world'slargest buyer, are likely to fall in November-January from last year'slevel despite a decline in stocks, thanks to rising local supplies,traders say.Availability of domestic edible oils is expected to rise following goodwinter oilseed crops, they said."Groundnut oil is available in ample volumes at present," MansukhbhaiPatel, president of the Central Organisation for Oil Industry and Trade,told Reuters on Thursday.Supplies of other indigenous oils, such as soybean oil and sunfloweroil, are also increasing, he said.Traders forecast India's oil imports at 300,000 to 325,000 tonnes inboth November and December, down from 360,000 tonnes and 331,000 tonnesrespectively in the same months last year.India is expected to import about 75,000 tonnes of soyoil and125,000-150,000 tonnes of crude palm oil both this month and next, theysaid.Edible oil imports are expected to fall to about 400,000 tonnes inJanuary from 538,000 tonnes a year earlier, traders said.India mainly purchases oils from Malaysia, Indonesia and South Americancountries. More than two-thirds of India's oil imports are palm oils, withthe rest accounted by soft oils such as degummed soy oil.

LOCAL SUPPLIESGood June-September monsoon rains in the country have boosted India'soilseed output prospects for the crop year ending in October. The crop isestimated at around 21 million tonnes, up from 17.8 million tonnes theprevious year, traders said.Domestic oil production is expected to rise to 508,000 tonnes inNovember and 606,000 tonnes in December, from 357,000 tonnes and 484,000tonnes in the respective months of 2000, said G.G. Patel, a Rajkot-basedoil trader.Rising local supplies would help replenish rundown stocks and easepressure on oil imports, traders said."Stocks are low mainly due to a fall in imports in October," saidRajnikant Rai, vice president for international operations at tobacco andfarm products trading firm ITC Ltd.Traders forecast opening stocks of edible oils to decline to 560,000tonnes in December from 622,000 tonnes in November and 846,000 tonnes inOctober.India imported 288,376 tonnes of edible oils in October, down sharplyfrom 524,073 tonnes in the same month of 2000.Edible oil imports totalled a record 4.83 million tonnes in 2000/01, upfrom 4.49 million tonnes the previous year.Average monthly consumption of edible oils in the country is estimatedat 850,000 to 870,000 tonnes.