In Ukraine, UkrAgricunsult reported that India has become the largest importer of Malaysian oil palm germinated seeds as it seeks to boost domestic palm oil production.
The report noted that demand has surged as the country steps up efforts to boost domestic palm oil production and reduce reliance on imports.
The report also noted that India became the top market for Malaysian palm oil in 2024, importing 3.03 million tons of the product, accounting for 17.9% of Malaysia’s total palm oil exports.
India aims to expand its oil palm cultivation area to 1 million hectares by 2025-26 and reach nearly 2.8 million tons of crude palm oil by 2029-30 under its National Edible Oils Mission.
As of mid-2025, the country has about 370,000 hectares of oil palm under cultivation, with a focus on the northeastern states and island regions. Most deals will now be done through enterprise-to-enterprise agreements, with Malaysian exporters providing quality planting materials and technical expertise, the report added.
The Palm Oil Board of Malaysia has developed new high-yielding varieties through breeding programs that have the potential to produce more than 30 tons of fresh fruit bunches per hectare per year, almost double Malaysia’s national average of 15.47-16.73 tons recorded during 2020-2023.
The report also highlighted that the Government of India, as part of the National Oil Palm Mission, planned to expand the area of palm plantations from 0.6 million to 1 million hectares.
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Category: Food & Agriculture
