India’s oilmeals export declined 35 per cent last month to 2,13,744 tonnes due to lower shipments of soyabean meal, rapeseed meal and castorseed meal, according to industry data. The exports stood at 3,30,567 tonnes in the same month last year.
In a statement on Tuesday, the Solvent Extractors’ Association of India (SEA) said the total export of oilmeals during April-September 2024 fell 9 per cent to 20,82,533 tonnes compared to 22,76,120 tonnes in the corresponding period of the previous year, mainly due to a reduction in export of rapeseed meal and castorseed meal.
In the first half of the current fiscal year, the export of soyabean meal jumped to 9.08 lakh tonnes against 5.86 lakh tonnes a year ago, due to higher imports by the UAE, Iran and France.
Bangladesh, South Korea and Thailand are the major importers of rapeseed meal.
Industry body SOPA has estimated Kharif soybean production at 125.18 lakh tonnes from last year’s estimate of 118.74 lakh tonnes.
SOPA has reported an area sown at 118.3 lakh hectares lower than the government’s estimate of 127.13 lakh hectares.