19/01/2016 (Bernama) - Imports of vegetable oil by India jumped 24 per cent in December 2015 to 1,418,612 tonnes compared with 1,139,586 tonnes recorded a year ago, a leading trade body announced today.

Edible oil accounted for 1,407,145 tonnes of total imports while non-edible oil made up the remaining 11,467 tonnes, said The Solvent Extractors' Association of India in a statement.

The world's biggest palm oil importer saw stocks of edible oils rising to a record high, as at Jan 1, 2016, with inventories at various ports estimated at 1,110,000 tonnes.

Crude palm oil stocks stood at 520,000 tonnes, refined oil (200,000 tonnes), degummed soybean oil (250,000 tonnes), crude sunflower oil (100,000 tonnes), rapeseed or canola oil (40,000) and about 1,400,000 tonnes of edible oil in the pipeline.

The association also said total stocks in pipelines at various ports rose to 2,510,000 tonnes, as of Jan 1, 2016, from 2,430,000 tonnes recorded in December 2015 and 2,070,000 tonnes in January 2015.