New Delhi, February 18 India's oilmeal exports declined by 42% year-on-year to 260,123 tonnes in January, as shipments of soybean meal and rapeseed meal plummeted, according to data from the Solvent Extractor's Association of India (SEA).
In January 2025, oilmeal exports stood at 452,352 tonnes.
During April-January 2025-26, oilmeal exports fell to 3.2 million tonnes from 3.6 million tonnes in the same period a year ago.
Oilmeals are used as animal feed.
Soybean meal exports declined to 132,440 tonnes in January 2026 from 286,287 tonnes a year earlier, while rapeseed meal shipments fell to 64,782 tonnes from 131,641 tonnes. Groundnut meal exports also slipped to 1,067 tonnes from 2,636 tonnes.
Rice bran extraction bucked the trend, surging to 35,367 tonnes from just 63 tonnes in January 2025.
SEA attributed the decline in rapeseed meal exports to reduced crushing activity, as processors waited for fresh crop supplies expected in February and March.
Indian rapeseed meal was quoted at Rs 20,300 per tonne at Kandla, up from Rs 18,500 in November-December 2025, although below the January peak of Rs 21,617. In dollar terms, Indian rapeseed meal was priced at USD 235 per tonne at Kandla, compared with USD 276 per tonne for European Union-origin meal at Hamburg.
China, South Korea, Bangladesh, and Germany are the main buyers of Indian oilmeals.