India's soybean imports surged to a record 1.1 million metric tons in 2025/26, from about 2,000 tons a year earlier, as a rally in domestic prices prompted mills to step up overseas purchases, data from the Soybean Processors Association of India (SOPA) shows.

Source: Reuters via The Hindu BusinessLine

1.1 million tonsSoybean imports in 2025/26 — a record
2,000 tonsImports in the previous year
430,000+ tonsShipments from Niger, the top supplier
1 million tonsSoymeal exports, halved in 2025/26

India permits imports only of non-genetically-modified soybeans, limiting supplies to a handful of African nations — including Benin, Niger, Togo and Nigeria — where non-GM beans command a steep premium over genetically modified varieties, Reuters reported.

Niger emerged as the biggest soybean exporter to India, with shipments of more than 430,000 tons in the marketing year ended September 30, traders estimate.

The surge has prompted Indian customs authorities to investigate soybean imports declared as originating in Niger, on suspicion that the cargoes actually came from Nigeria and were mislabelled to evade import tariffs, Reuters reported earlier this month. The findings of that investigation have not been released.

Despite the record imports, India's soymeal exports in 2025/26 halved to 1 million tons, SOPA said in a statement.

Source: Devdiscourse (Reuters)