Indore, Oct 29 (PTI) Due to low demand for Indian soybean meal in the international market, the country's exports of this product fell by 11 per cent to 20.23 lakh tonnes during the oil marketing year 2024-25 (October 2024 to September 2025), an organisation of processors said on Wednesday.

An official of the Indore-based Soybean Processors Association of India (SOPA) said that Germany, France, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Kenya emerged as the top importers of Indian soybean meal in the oil marketing year 2024-25.

About 55 per cent of India's total soybean meal exports during the period under review were sent to these five countries, he said.

According to the official, India's soybean meal exports stood at 2.275 million tonnes during the 2023-24 oil marketing year (October 2023 to September 2024).

D N Pathak, SOPA's Executive Director, told PTI, "Indian soybean meal prices remain high compared to those from major exporters like the United States, Brazil and Argentina. This has led to a decline in demand for Indian soybean meal in the international market." Soybean meal is the product left after soybean oil is extracted in processing plants. This product is a significant source of protein and is used to produce food products like soy flour and soybean chunks, as well as animal feed and poultry and fish feed. PTI HWP MAS NP

India soybean meal exports fell 11% to 20.23 lakh tonnes as high domestic prices reduced international demand. India's soybean meal exports declined 11% to 20.23 lakh tonnes in the oil marketing year 2024-25, driven by comparatively high Indian prices that reduced international demand; Germany, France, Nepal, Bangladesh and Kenya together received about 55% of shipments.