India’s oilmeals export down by 2.3% in April-July

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India exported 15.54 lakh tonnes (lt) of oilmeals during April-July of 2023-24 against 15.91 lt in the year-ago period, registering a decline of 2.32 per cent.

BV Mehta, Executive Director of Solvent Extractors’ Association of India (SEA), attributed this decline to the reduction in export of rapeseed meal and castorseed meal. Added to this, there was no export of de-oiled ricebran since September 2023 due to a ban on its export.

Ban on ricebran exports

Stating the Government has decided to extend export prohibition of de-oiled ricebran till January 31, 2025, he said this will seriously affect West Bengal’s solvent extraction units processing ricebran.

Export of soyabean meal jumped to 6.92 lt in the first four months of 2023-24 from 4.20 lt in the corresponding period of the previous fiscal, recording a growth of 64.45 per cent. He attributed this growth to the increase in export of countries such as Iran and France during the period. India’s soyabean meal export to Iran and France stood at 1.14 lt and 54,481 tonnes during the period.

India exported 7.58 lt of rapeseed meal during April-July 2023-24 against 8.94 lt in April-July of 2022-23. Bangladesh is one of the major importers of rapeseed meal. The current crisis in Bangladesh may affect, at least temporarily, halting export of rapeseed meal, mainly exported by road or rail rakes, he said.

Major importers

South Korea, Thailand, Vietnam and Bangladesh are the major importers of oilmeals from India.

South Korea imported 3.22 lt of oilmeals during the first four months of 2023-24 (3.49 lt in April-July 2022-23). This included 2.49 lt of rapeseed meal, 55,269 tonnes of castorseed meal, and 17,159 tonnes of soyabean meal.

India exported 79,945 tonnes (2.42 lt) of oilmeals to Vietnam during April-July 2023-24. This included 71,627 tonnes of rapeseed meal, 6,554 tonnes of soyabean meal, and 1,764 tonnes of groundnut meal.

Thailand imported 1.21 lt of oilmeals (2.46 lt) during the first four months of 2023-24. This included 1.19 lt of rapeseed meal, and 2,503 tonnes of soyabean meal.

India exported 2.88 lt (3.28 lt) of oilmeals to Bangladesh during April-July 2023-24. This included 2.49 lt of rapeseed meal and 39,025 tonnes of soyabean meal.