USDA Post Forecasts India's Soybean Production at 9.6 Million Tonnes

07-Sep-2026 04:55 PM

New Delhi: Citing weak and erratic rainfall as well as a reduction in the sowing area, the Delhi-based representative office of the US Department of Agriculture's Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA Post) has revised downwards its previous estimates for India's soybean sowing area, average yield, and total production; conversely, it has raised the import forecasts for soybean and soy oil.

According to the USDA Post, the soybean sowing area in India during the current Kharif season may stall at 11.4 million hectares, with total production likely to be limited to around 9.6 million tonnes, assuming an average yield of 910 kg per hectare. This figure is lower than the previous estimate. Meanwhile, data from the Union Ministry of Agriculture indicates that the total area under soybean cultivation in India reached 12.182 million hectares by September 4, 2026—a decrease of 0.116 million hectares compared to the 12.298 million hectares sown during the same period last year.

The USDA Post projects that India will import approximately 0.5 million tonnes of soybean and 5.6 million tonnes of soy oil during the 2026-27 season. The forecast for soybean exports from India has been lowered to 25,000 tonnes. Soybean crushing may be limited to 7.5 million tonnes, although significant growth is anticipated in domestic demand and the consumption of value-added soybean products.