India’s Soybean Production Falls Short of Domestic Needs Despite Record Output
21 August 2025, New Delhi: Concerns over India’s soybean and maize supply were raised in the Lok Sabha earlier this week, highlighting the gap between domestic production and growing demand. The question was posed by Kaushalendra Kumar (Unstarred Question No. 4369), who sought details on whether the country’s production is sufficient, the possibility of imports from the United States, and the potential impact on Indian farmers.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare responded that while India achieved record production in 2024-25—151.80 lakh tonnes of soybean and 422.81 lakh tonnes of maize—domestic edible oil output, including soybean oil, remains insufficient to meet rising demand. Consequently, India relies on imports to cover nearly 55% of its total edible oil requirement.
Over the last decade, soybean production has grown by 46.32%, from 103.74 lakh tonnes in 2014-15, while maize output increased by 74.91%, reaching 422.81 lakh tonnes. Despite these gains, edible oil consumption continues to outpace production, prompting the government to take proactive steps to boost self-sufficiency.
Under the National Mission on Edible Oils – Oilseeds (NMEO-Oilseeds), the government has allocated Rs 10,103.38 crore to raise oilseed production from 42.6 million tonnes in 2024-25 to a target of 69.7 million tonnes by 2030-31. Programs such as the National Food Security Mission (NFSM) provide farmers with quality seeds, improved technologies, and access to Minimum Support Prices (MSPs) for soybean and maize to encourage cultivation and protect their livelihoods.
The ministry also noted that while India has historically been a net exporter of maize, exports in 2024-25 were minimal due to domestic demand pressures. Discussions under the India-US Bilateral Trade Agreement are ongoing to expand trade, improve market access, and strengthen supply chain integration, keeping both national food security and farmers’ interests in focus.
The government reassured that any imports would be managed carefully to supplement domestic production without harming farmers’ incomes, while continuing efforts to achieve long-term self-sufficiency in oilseeds.
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