India eyes rapeseed meal export revival to China as price gap widens

New Delhi: India is aiming to regain its market share in China's rapeseed meal imports, taking advantage of the commodity's lower price as compared to the international rate amid global supply constraints, industry body SEA said on Monday.

Indian rapeseed meal is trading at $202 per tonne (Ex-Kandla FAS) as compared to international price of $308 per tonne (Ex-Hamburg). This creates a compelling opportunity for Indian exporters.

The Solvent Extractors' Association (SEA) has urged Ministry of Commerce to negotiate with Chinese authorities for relaxed import conditions.

Currently, only three Indian facilities registered with China's General Administration of Customs are permitted to export rapeseed meal to the Chinese market, it said in a statement.

China, a major consumer of rapeseed meal for animal feed, sources most imports from Canada and the European Union, where supplies have tightened and prices have risen.

"Given the prevailing supply constraints and rising costs, India now has a valuable opportunity to regain its foothold in the Chinese market, if China relaxes its stringent import conditions on Indian rapeseed meal," the industry body said.

Meanwhile, India's oilmeal export sector faces growing competition from Distillers Dried Grains with Solubles (DDGS), an ethanol by-product increasingly used as a protein-rich alternative in cattle and poultry feed formulations.

"DDGS is now part of the supply chain and the industry will have to adapt its business accordingly," the SEA said, noting that DDGS partially substitutes traditional ingredients like soybean meal, rapeseed meal and de-oiled rice bran in feed.

The industry body said this shift could moderate growth in traditional oilmeal exports, requiring targeted strategies to sustain demand in key markets.

It also noted that India has harvested a record soyabean crop in kharif season and rape-mustard crop in the rabi season of this year which encouraged higher crushing and increased availability of meal.

"However, the export demand is lacking due to disparity in international market."

In April this year, oilmeals exports rose marginally to Rs 4,65,863 per tonne, from Rs 4,65,156 per tonne in April 2024. Out of total exports, rapeseed meal shipments were at 2,13,023 tonne and soyabean meal at 2,30,743 tonne in April this year.