India becomes largest buyer of oil palm seed from Malaysia

India has become the largest importer of Malaysian oil palm germinated seeds as it seeks to boost domestic palm oil production, The Economist Times reports. Demand has surged as the country steps up efforts to boost domestic palm oil production and reduce reliance on imports. Malaysia welcomes the surge in demand, seeing it as a testament to the quality of its seeds and the strength of the partnership. India became the top market for Malaysian palm oil in 2024, importing 3.03 million tonnes 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 tonnes 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 ...