India to Increase Soybean Meal Consumption Amid Production Fluctuations

According to data for the 2023/24 agricultural year, soybean meal production in India amounted to 9.04 million tons, with exports reaching 1.8 million tons. However, in the 2024/25 season, production is forecast to decline to 8.8 million tons, which analysts attribute to climate risks and instability in the raw material market. Export volumes are expected to remain unchanged at 1.8 million tons.

The outlook for 2025/26 is particularly noteworthy: production is projected to partially recover to 9.08 million tons, but exports may decline to 1.4 million tons. The majority of the output will remain in the domestic market, where soybean meal consumption is expected to grow from 7.075 million tons to 7.65 million tons.

An increase in soybean imports is also significant — from 0.3 million tons in 2023/24 to 0.5 million tons in 2024/25 — driven by the need for additional raw materials to meet rising demand.

Experts emphasize that the growth in soybean meal consumption in India is closely linked to the rapid development of the livestock sector, particularly poultry farming, which relies heavily on soybean meal as a feed component.