Market Trends of Cooking Oil Industry
This section covers the major market trends shaping the Cooking Oil Market according to our research experts:
Palm Oil Emerges as the Most Consumed Oil
Palm oil is one of the most distributed cooking oils in the world. The primary users of palm oil include China, India, Indonesia, and the European Union. These countries do not produce crude palm oil, and their demand is entirely met by imports. There is substantial demand for palm oil from various end-user sectors across the world since it costs 20% less than most cooking oils. In the past few years, the production and imports of palm oil amplified significantly, with almost the entire demand supplied by Malaysia and Indonesia.
According to the US Department of Agriculture, palm oil imports were 47.56 million metric tons during the current year, which was higher than the previous year's imports which were 47.21 million metric tons. Furthermore, there has been an increase in the demand for biofuel in most developed regions. This, in turn, is augmenting the demand for palm oil. Other chief demand drivers include the versatility and extensive application of palm oil in various aspects of the food industry.
Asia-Pacific Holds Significant Share in the Market
Asia-Pacific accounts for the largest share of the global vegetable oil market, and it is the second-fastest-growing region. Asia-Pacific has emerged as a dominant market for fish oil consumption owing to the massive concentration of the aquaculture industry in China, India, Vietnam, and Indonesia. Moreover, the rising health concerns among consumers lead to the usage of fish oil as a nutritional supplement in developed countries such as Japan and Australia. Olive oil, in particular, has the highest growth rate due to its health benefits.
In Asia-Pacific, China holds the largest share of vegetable oil consumption as well as production. Though the production volume is high, consumption exceeds production, resulting in higher import volumes when compared to export volumes. China is an import-oriented country. Due to the huge demand from food industries, attributed to the increasing number of health-conscious consumers, strong population base, and changing living standards, coupled with the presence of major palm oil-producing nations in the region. Additionally, a prominent factor in the increasing edible oil use is the growing consumption of processed food.
