Browse Data and Analysis

On May 30, 2025, India reduced its import duty on crude soybean, sunflower, and palm oil from 20 percent to 10 percent, lowering the effective duty to 16.5 percent.

Although domestic soybean production is forecast to reach a 20-year high in marketing year (MY) 2025/26, Korea will remain dependent on imports for 89 percent of total supply.

FAS New Delhi expects India’s peanut oilseed production to rise by 18 percent in marketing year (MY) 2024/2025 and reach 7.2 million metric tons (MMT) due to higher market prices, an increased planting area of 5.6 million hectares, and the use of high-yielding varieties that produced higher yields.

Soybean production in marketing year (MY) 2024/2025 is estimated at 12.9 million metric tons (MMT) on favorable conditions and slightly higher area.

This report analyzes all vegetable oil markets in Korea, whether for food or industrial use, and covers oils derived from soybean, palm, palm kernel, olive, rapeseed/canola, grapeseed, sunflower seed, corn, coconut, sesame, perilla seed (a leafy plant from the mint family), and rice bran.

Ample opportunities exist for U.S. agricultural exports to South Korea. Highlighted in the chart above, U.S. agricultural product exports were a record $9.5 billion in 2022, up 2 percent from 2021. South Korea is the sixth largest export market for the United States, thanks in part to a successful free trade agreement (KORUS) between the two countries and a robust demand for high-quality U.S. food products.

On June 14, 2023, India’s Ministry of Finance issued Public Notice No. 39/2023 - Customs that reduces the import duty on refined sunflower and soybean oils.

The Korea oilseeds and products market is mature with limited annual change, reflecting stable consumer demand and stagnant domestic production.

On January 11, 2023, India’s Ministry of Commerce and Industry/Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) issued Public Notice No. 50/2015-20. The notice specifies that India amended its previous tariff-rate quota of 2 million metric tons for crude soybean oil, previously allowable at a zero percent duty through Indian fiscal years (IFY) 2022/23 and 2023/24 (April 1-March 31).