India's edible oil imports rose by 41 per cent to touch 5.47 lakh tonnes in June against 3.88 lakh tonnes a year-ago, according to figures released by the Solvent Extractors' Association of India.

It said imports of both edible and non-edible oils rose by six per cent each in the first eight months of the oil year 2006-07, which began in November last.

While edible oil imports in the November-June period went up to 27.48 lakh tonnes as against 25.88 lakh tonnes during the corresponding period in the previous year, imported non-edible oils went up to 4.5 lakh tonnes from 4.24 lakh tonnes.

Import of palm oil products (crude palm oil, RBD palmolein, crude palmolein and crude palm kernel oil) continued to maintain lead over soyabean and other soft oils.

Palm oil products' imports increased to 19.49 lakh tonnes from 14.76 lakh tonnes in November-June period of previous season.

The SEA data said palmolein (a refined oil) imports, which are r ising in recent months, recorded over 15,000 tonnes last month. But overall imports of refined oils during November-June period reduced to 67,808 tonnes from 99,025 tonnes.

Crude soybean oil imports reduced to just 6.49 lakh tonnes from 10 lakh tonnes while that of sunflower oil increased to 1.41 lakh tonnes from 86,844 tonnes.

The Association said that a rise in sunflower oil imports is possible due to import duty reduct ion from 65 per cent to 50 per cent effective from April 13, 2007.

Imports of non-edible oils in June declined to 43,191 tonnes compared to 80,962 tonnes in the year-ago period.