Soybean meal exports from India drop 63 percent in March

India’s soybean meal exports declined sharply by 63 percent to 60,000 tonnes in March , compared to 1.62 lakh tonnes in the same month last year, according to industry estimates from the Soybean Processors Association of India (SOPA).

Soybean meal production in India is concentrated in major soybean-growing states including Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Gujarat , with Madhya Pradesh forming the core production belt. These states supply raw soybeans to processing units that extract oil and produce meal used for animal feed and food processing.

Industry officials said the fall in exports is linked to sustained higher domestic prices compared to the US, Brazil and Argentina , reducing India’s global competitiveness. A brief escalation in the West Asia conflict has also disrupted shipping routes and trade flows , particularly affecting Gulf markets.

Export shipments are largely routed through key ports in Gujarat, including Kandla and Mundra, and Maharashtra’s Jawaharlal Nehru Port , all of which have faced pressure from rising freight costs, longer transit times, and insurance premiums amid global shipping uncertainty.

Despite the export decline, domestic consumption remained strong. SOPA data showed soybean meal use in India rose to six lakh tonnes in March , up from five lakh tonnes a year earlier, supported by steady demand from the animal feed industry.

Similar trade pressures have also been observed in other agri-commodities. For instance, India’s March palm oil imports fell 19 percent to a three-month low , reflecting broader weakness in edible oil trade flows amid volatile global prices and logistics challenges.