India Eyes Chinese Market As Global Rapeseed Meal Prices Surge

New Delhi: India may become a key supplier of rapeseed meal to China if Beijing eases its stringent trade restrictions on the commodity, according to industry body Solvent Extractors Association of India (SEA). A shortage of rapeseed meal in the European Union has driven global prices significantly higher.

China, a major consumer, currently imports the protein-rich animal feed primarily from Canada and the EU. "Given the current supply constraints and rising prices, India has a renewed opportunity to explore and recapture its lost share in the Chinese market," Mumbai-based SEA said in a statement.

Indian rapeseed meal is currently priced at $209 per tonne free alongside ship (FAS) at Kandla port, substantially lower than the $335 per tonne being quoted ex-Hamburg in the international market. "Leveraging this opportunity could not only boost India's exports but also help stabilize prices in the international market," SEA added.