Effective May 1, 2025, the Russian Ministry of Agriculture has revised the export duty on sunflower oil to 4,500 rubles per MT, down marginally from 4,568.7 rubles per MT in April
Effective May 1, 2025, the Russian Ministry of Agriculture has marginally reduced the export duty on sunflower oil to 4,500 rubles per MT, down from 4,568.7 rubles per MT in April. Simultaneously, the indicative (reference) price used to calculate the duty has been increased to $1,090.5 per MT. In contrast, the export duty on sunflower meal has been revised upward to 943.6 rubles per MT. These revised tariffs will remain in force until August 31, 2026.
India, a key importer of Russian sunflower oil, registered a 3 per cent year-on-year decline in volumes during the period November 2024 to March 2025, attributed to persistent price premiums over competing oils such as palm and soybean.
The latest duty cut offers nominal FOB cost relief; however, the benefit is largely neutralized by the higher reference price, which limits any meaningful price correction. As a result, import volumes into India are expected to remain flat or see marginal upside, contingent on broader trends in global edible oil markets.
While the duty adjustment signals some policy responsiveness from Russia, the effective impact on Indian trade flows appears minimal. Market participants should continue to monitor price spreads between sunflower, palm, and soy oils, as well as macro trends in freight and currency, to assess future trade potential.
