India is likely to import more soyoil and export less soymeal in coming months following a poor soybean crop, Hamburg-based oilseeds analysts Oil World said on Tuesday. Oil World has lowered its estimate of India's 2008 soybean crop to 9.0 million tonnes against 10.1 million tonnes estimated in November and the 2007 crop of 9.4 million tonnes.
Tighter Indian supplies and falling ocean shipping costs meant imported Argentine soyoil was $30 to $40 a tonne cheaper than Indian-produced soyoil in the Indian market in the first week of January, Oil World said.
"Indian soyoil imports have declined sharply since October 2008," it said. "But latest shipment information points to a pronounced increase of Argentine soyoil exports to India to 90,000 to 100,000 tonnes in December." A further 40,000 tonnes of Argentine soyoil is likely to be shipped to India in January, it said. "However, higher domestic soyoil prices may trigger fresh Indian purchases on the world market," it said.