The country’s oilmeal exports rose 9 per cent to 14.03 lakh tonnes during the first six months of the ongoing financial year due to a sharp increase in the shipments of rapeseed meal.

According to data compiled by the Solvent Extractors’ Association of India (SEA), the country exported 14,03,382 tonnes during April-September 2018 against 12,84,788 tonnes in the same period last year.

Rapeseed meal exports doubled to 6,01,105 tonnes from 3,00,627 tonne. South Korea, Vietnam and Thailand were the major importers. However, exports of soyabean meal fell to 3,92,736 tonnes from 4,89,926 tonnes.

As per the data, exports to Vietnam rose 24 per cent to 2,77,406 tonne during the first six months of 2018-19. Thailand imported 1,67,101 tonnes (76,895 tonnes). Exports to France more than doubled to 76,704 tonnes from 35,520 tonnes.

Germany imported 85,100 tonnes from India during the period under review from 42,612 tonne in the year-ago period. Exports to South Korea rose marginally by 3 per cent to 4,41,119 tonnes from 4,27,126 tonnes.

“The ongoing trade dispute between the US and China has created a lot of uncertainty and is forcing China to look out for other origins for their requirements of soyabean and oilmeals. This has compelled China to relook its ban imposed for importing oilmeals from India since 2012,” SEA had said in a statement issued last week.

The association expects China to soon lift the ban on rapeseed meal imports from India.“Prior to the ban in 2012, China used to import nearly half a million tonne of oilmeals viz. rapeseed meal 3.5 to 4 lakh tonnes and 1 lakh tonnes of soyabean meal from India,” SEA said.

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