India buys record amount of sunflower oil as Ukraine-Russia fight for market share cuts price

Indian buyers purchased a record 500,000 metric tons of sunflower oil in June due to competitive pricing against soyoil and palm oil from leading suppliers Russia and Ukraine. The war has lead to reduced inventories in the Black Sea region. The lower prices for sunflower oil were attributed to aggressive competition from Russia, Ukraine, and […]

India’s oil imports from Russia hit a record high of 2.1 million bpd in May as discounts widened due to lower demand from China. Some European nations avoided Russian oil after the Ukraine invasion, making Russian oil cheaper than similar grades from the Middle East.

The Indian government has approved the export of 2,000 tonnes of non-basmati white rice to Malawi and Zimbabwe through the National Cooperative Exports Limited, despite a ban on such exports since July 2023 to boost domestic supply. The move aims to meet the food security needs of the two African nations.

The escalating trade tensions between Europe and China over electric vehicles have the potential to ignite a new trade war. As Europe imposes tariffs on Chinese EVs, China retaliates by targeting European farmers, particularly in the pork industry. This tit-for-tat strategy threatens to impact various sectors on both sides.

India’s merchandise exports rose by 9.1% to USD 38.1 billion in May compared to last year, with a modest 1.1% increase from April, driven by both oil and non-oil sectors. Imports surged by 7.7% to USD 61.2 billion, mainly due to oil and core imports, widening the trade deficit to USD 23.8 billion.

India’s seafood exports saw a 3% rise in volume but an 8% decline in value for the fiscal year 2023-24, totaling 1,781,602 MT valued at USD 7.38 billion. Frozen shrimp remained the top item, with the US leading as the largest market, followed by China and the European Union.

EU’s ESPR regulation, criticized by GTRI, may raise costs and impact exports from developing nations due to stringent sustainability standards and Digital Product Passport requirement.

US agri trade body Cotton Council International (CCI) has called for the removal of the 11% import duty on shorter staple cotton below 32mm length, which came into effect in 2021. The duty affects India’s domestic textile industry, which is projected to grow to $350 billion by 2025. CCI and Supima, a non-profit trade association, […]

India’s central government is unlikely to remove the 40% export duty on onions imposed last month, as domestic onion prices have almost doubled in the last month. The average rate of onions at the benchmark Lasalgaon APMC was Rs 28/kg on Tuesday, up 40% in the last 15 days and double of what it was […]

India allows duty free import of inputs used for manufacturing for exports subject in advance authorisation to export obligation period in which exporters have to ship the goods within a stipulated time period otherwise they’re penalised. The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) has sought comments of all the concerned stakeholders on the proposed amendments […]