New Delhi, Oct 6: India might soon import soybean meal from the United States to meet the rising demand from its fast-growing poultry sector, according to the Compound Livestock Feed Manufacturers Association (CLFMA).
Speaking ahead of the 17th Poultry India Expo (Nov 25–28, Hyderabad), CLFMA Chairman Divya Kumar Gulati said that ongoing India–US trade negotiations could open the door for soybean meal imports.
“US farmers are losing money because China has stopped buying. They are in a desperate situation and need new markets,” Gulati explained.
While India is currently self-sufficient in protein feed ingredients—thanks to rising production of rice-based Distillers Dried Grains with Solubles (DDGS), a by-product of ethanol production—Gulati cautioned that future shortages could occur as poultry demand soars.
“If the poultry sector keeps growing at this rate, we may fall short of raw materials in the future, as we are already seeing with corn,” he noted.
Importantly, Gulati clarified that the US is promoting soybean meal (non-GMO), not whole soybeans.
“Soybean meal is non-living and non-GMO—you can’t plant it. It’s a quality product, and India has imported it before,” he said.
Currently, India permits limited imports of GM soybean meal under special quotas (first approved in 2021). These remain tightly regulated and allowed only through specific ports with prior government clearance.