New Delhi, March 27 -- India is increasingly turning to China for edible oil imports due to pricing advantages, a shift that could reshape sourcing patterns and ease cost pressures amid spiralling retail prices, according to three industry experts tracking the trend. India's retail prices of key edible oils have risen 10-15% in recent weeks.

India, world's largest edible oil importer, traditionally imports palm oil from Indonesia and Malaysia, and sunflower and soybean oil from Ukraine, Russia, Argentina and Brazil. The pivot towards neighbouring China could be particularly important, as the ongoing West Asia war has disrupted trade routes and spiked freight and insurance costs.

India's annual edible oil demand is around 26 million tonn...