16/04/2008 (Reuters), New Delhi - India, one of the world's leading buyers of edible oils, imported 421,686 tonnes of oils in March, almost a third more than a year earlier, the Solvent Extractors' Association of India said on Wednesday.

Imports in the first five months of the oil year that began in November were 1.93 million tonnes, up from 1.40 million tonnes in the same period a year earlier, the trade body said in a statement. For a table of import data.

Imports of vegetable oils, including vanaspati and some non-edible oils, rose 37.8 percent to 2.26 million tonnes between November and March over the same period a year ago.

"In last five months, international prices have substantially increased and practically doubled in last one year. However, this has had no impact on flow of imported oil into India," B.V. Mehta, executive director of the Solvent Extractors' Association said in the statement.

Palm oil prices in Malaysia have risen 20 percent this year, largely due to their use for biofuels and higher imports by China and India. On Wednesday, palm oil futures KPOc3 fell from a three-week high hit the previous day as investors booked profit.

India annually consumes about 11 million tonnes of edible oils, with imports contributing almost half of that. It buys palm oil from Malaysia and Indonesia and soyoil from Brazil and Argentina.