India Sunflower Seed Oil HS1512 Import Data 2025 June Overview

India Sunflower Seed Oil (HS 1512) 2025 June Import: Key Takeaways

India’s Sunflower Seed Oil imports under HS Code 1512 in June 2025 show heavy reliance on Russia, which dominates with 39.22% of import value, reflecting a bulk commodity trade with minimal value addition. The market remains concentrated among a few key suppliers, raising supply chain risks amid geopolitical tensions. This analysis, covering June 2025, is based on cleanly processed Customs data from the yTrade database.

India Sunflower Seed Oil (HS 1512) 2025 June Import Background

What is HS Code 1512?

HS Code 1512 covers sunflower-seed, safflower, or cotton-seed oil and their fractions, whether crude or refined but not chemically modified. These edible oils are staples in food processing, cooking, and industrial applications, driving consistent global demand due to their versatility and nutritional value. India’s reliance on imports under this code reflects its growing domestic consumption and limited oilseed production capacity.

Current Context and Strategic Position

In June 2025, India reduced import duties on crude sunflower seed oil (HS Code 1512) from 20% to 10%, lowering the effective duty to ~16.5% to curb inflation and support domestic refining [FAS USDA]. Refined oils, however, retain higher duties (32.5%) to protect local processors. As a top importer of India Sunflower Seed Oil HS Code 1512 Import 2025 June, India’s policy shifts underscore its strategic reliance on global markets to meet edible oil demand, necessitating close monitoring of trade dynamics and pricing trends. (FAS USDA)

India Sunflower Seed Oil (HS 1512) 2025 June Import: Trend Summary

Key Observations

India's Sunflower Seed Oil imports under HS Code 1512 surged in June 2025, reaching $903.18 million in value and 235.22 million kilograms in volume. This represents the highest monthly import performance so far in 2025.

Price and Volume Dynamics

The June import value jumped 59% month-over-month from May's $567.97 million, while volume rose 55% over the same period. This sharp increase breaks from the relatively stable import patterns seen in the first half of the year. Typically, India's edible oil imports follow more gradual seasonal patterns tied to domestic harvest cycles and festival demand, making June's spike particularly notable against the broader 2025 trend.

External Context and Outlook

The import surge directly aligns with India's late-May policy change that reduced import duties on crude edible oils from 20% to 10% [USDA]. This duty reduction made immediate imports more economically attractive for refiners and traders, driving both volume and value higher. Looking ahead, the revised tariff structure is likely to sustain increased import activity for India Sunflower Seed Oil HS Code 1512 Import through 2025 June and beyond, as buyers capitalize on lower costs amid ongoing domestic supply constraints.

India Sunflower Seed Oil (HS 1512) 2025 June Import: HS Code Breakdown

Product Specialization and Concentration

According to yTrade data, India's Sunflower Seed Oil HS Code 1512 Import in 2025 June is dominated by crude sunflower seed oil under sub-code 15121110, which holds over 99% of the import value and weight with a unit price of 3.85 USD per kilogram. An extreme price anomaly exists for refined cotton-seed oil at 126.66 USD per kilogram, which is isolated from the main analysis.

Value-Chain Structure and Grade Analysis

The non-anomalous imports split into crude oils, such as sunflower and cotton-seed variants, and refined or processed oils. Crude oils have unit prices between 2.26 and 3.85 USD per kilogram, indicating a trade in fungible bulk commodities linked to global indices. Refined oils show slightly higher prices up to 8.32 USD per kilogram, suggesting minimal value addition but still commodity-like characteristics.

Strategic Implication and Pricing Power

For India Sunflower Seed Oil HS Code 1512 Import in 2025 June, the heavy reliance on crude oils limits importer pricing power due to standardized, bulk nature. The duty cut on crude edible oils from 20% to 10% in May 2025 [USDA] reinforces this by lowering costs and favoring domestic refining over high-value imports.

Check Detailed HS 1512 Breakdown

India Sunflower Seed Oil (HS 1512) 2025 June Import: Market Concentration

Geographic Concentration and Dominant Role

In June 2025, India's import of Sunflower Seed Oil under HS Code 1512 shows strong geographic concentration, with Russia as the dominant supplier accounting for 39.22% of import value and 35.19% of weight. The higher value ratio compared to weight ratio for Russia (39.22 vs. 35.19) suggests a slightly higher unit price, around 4.28 USD/kg, indicating a standard commodity grade with minimal value addition, typical for bulk edible oils.

Partner Countries Clusters and Underlying Causes

The import pattern forms three clusters: first, Russia, Argentina, and Ukraine as bulk suppliers, together contributing over 90% of value, likely due to their large-scale production and export capacities in sunflower oil. Second, Nepal stands out with high shipment frequency but low volume (0.88% value share), possibly due to small-scale border trade or niche regional demand. Third, countries like France and the US have minimal presence, reflecting opportunistic or residual trade flows.

Forward Strategy and Supply Chain Implications

For market players, the heavy reliance on a few suppliers like Russia and Ukraine poses supply chain risks due to geopolitical tensions. India's recent import duty cut on crude edible oils to 10% [USDA] encourages more crude oil imports for domestic refining, so suppliers should prioritize crude sunflower oil exports to capitalize on this policy shift and ensure stable logistics.

Table: India Sunflower Seed Oil (HS 1512) Top Partner Countries (Source: yTrade)

Get Complete Partner Countries Profile

India Sunflower Seed Oil (HS 1512) 2025 June Import: Action Plan for Sunflower Seed Oil Market Expansion

Strategic Supply Chain Overview

India Sunflower Seed Oil Import 2025 June under HS Code 1512 is a bulk commodity trade. Price is driven by global edible oil indices and geopolitical stability in key supply regions. India's recent duty cut to 10% for crude oils reinforces cost-driven import decisions. Supply chain implications center on high reliance on Russia and Ukraine, creating vulnerability to trade disruptions. India's role is as a processing hub, importing crude oil for domestic refining rather than high-value finished products.

Action Plan: Data-Driven Steps for Sunflower Seed Oil Market Execution

• Target high-frequency, high-volume buyers with long-term contracts. They drive 95% of import value. Secure stable revenue by aligning with their bulk purchase cycles.
• Diversify supply sources using trade data on alternative origins. Reduce reliance on Russia and Ukraine. Mitigate geopolitical supply risks and price volatility.
• Focus export offers on crude sunflower oil under HS Code 15121110. Leverage India's duty cut policy. Capture cost-sensitive demand from domestic refiners.
• Monitor buyer frequency data to anticipate inventory cycles. Adjust shipment schedules to match demand patterns. Avoid overstock or shortage scenarios.
• Use real-time price tracking against global indices for negotiations. Align offers with commodity market trends. Maintain competitive pricing and margin control.

Take Action Now —— Explore India Sunflower Seed Oil Import Data

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. What is driving the recent changes in India Sunflower Seed Oil Import 2025 June?

India's sunflower seed oil imports surged 59% in value and 55% in volume in June 2025, driven by a tariff cut on crude edible oils from 20% to 10% in late May. This policy shift made bulk imports more economical for domestic refiners.

Q2. Who are the main partner countries in this India Sunflower Seed Oil Import 2025 June?

Russia dominates with 39.22% of import value, followed by Argentina and Ukraine, which collectively account for over 90% of imports. Nepal contributes minimally (0.88%) but with high shipment frequency.

Q3. Why does the unit price differ across India Sunflower Seed Oil Import 2025 June partner countries?

Price differences stem from product grades: crude sunflower oil (sub-code 15121110) averages $3.85/kg, while refined oils like cotton-seed oil (anomalous at $126.66/kg) skew outliers. Russia’s bulk crude trades at $4.28/kg.

Q4. What should importers in India focus on when buying Sunflower Seed Oil?

Importers should prioritize long-term contracts with high-value, high-frequency buyers (95.22% of market) to ensure stability, while monitoring geopolitical risks in key supply regions like Russia and Ukraine.

Q5. What does this India Sunflower Seed Oil import pattern mean for overseas suppliers?

Suppliers must capitalize on India’s duty cut by focusing on crude oil exports, but diversify beyond Russia-Ukraine to mitigate supply chain risks. Bulk commodity pricing limits premium opportunities.

Q6. How is Sunflower Seed Oil typically used in this trade flow?

Imports are primarily crude oils (99% share) for domestic refining into edible oils, reflecting India’s reliance on bulk commodity processing rather than high-value finished products.