KUALA LUMPUR: India is expected to buy more Malaysian palm oil in the near term after its import contracted by 60 per cent in October following its import tax hike on refined palm oil from Malaysia.

Deputy Primary Industries Minister Datuk Seri Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin said India raised the import tax on refined palm oil from Malaysia for six months starting Sept 4 to protect and spur its palm oil refining industry and reduce dependence on vegetable oil imports.