Argentina may strengthen its position in India’s sunflower oil market

Argentina may strengthen its position among sunflower oil suppliers to India following a cut in import duties and disruptions to Black Sea supplies. India traditionally sources most of its sunflower oil from Russia, Ukraine and Argentina, but logistical disruptions in the Black Sea region are reshaping trade flows.

From September 24, India cut the basic import duty on crude sunflower oil from 10% to zero. The duty on refined sunflower oil was reduced from 32.5% to 22.5%, which should lower the cost of imported oil on the domestic market.

From November 2025 through August 2026, India imported around 1.22 mln tons of sunflower oil from Russia, about 14% less than a year earlier. With these supplies declining, Argentina is becoming a more important alternative source for the Indian market.

India imports around 2.5–3.5 mln tons of sunflower oil annually, making it one of the world’s key markets for the product. Sunflower oil ranks third in the country’s edible oil imports after palm and soybean oil.

The duty cut could intensify competition among major exporters for the Indian market. For Argentina, it creates additional opportunities to increase sales, particularly amid unstable Black Sea logistics and India’s growing need for alternative supply sources.

Tags: sunflower oil, India, Argentina