In a move aimed at easing raw material shortages in the feed sector, India will allow duty-free or concessional imports of U.S. distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) under an interim trade arrangement with the United States, UkrAgroConsultant reported.
The decision provides preferential tariff treatment for DDGS shipments used in compound feed production and has been welcomed by the Poultry Federation of India.
Ricky Thaper, Joint Secretary of the federation, said Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal had earlier announced tariff quotas that would enable duty-free or reduced-duty imports of U.S. DDGS.
Industry representatives say demand for feed ingredients is expected to outpace domestic output in the coming years, potentially increasing reliance on imports by the early 2030s. Production of key feed components such as corn and soybean meal often falls short of the needs of poultry, dairy and aquaculture sectors, while limited arable land and productivity challenges restrict supply growth.
“Feed imports, especially under reduced or zero duties, can help smooth the imbalance between supply and demand,” Thaper said.
Earlier, several national and regional poultry associations had written to Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh, expressing concern over shortages and rising soybean meal prices. Industry participants warned that sustained input cost pressures could affect production stability and push up livestock product prices.
With around seven months remaining until the next soybean harvest, poultry producers are facing mounting pressure on margins. Volatile corn prices, driven by demand from both the feed industry and sectors such as bioethanol production, are adding to concerns over food inflation.
