Oilmeal exports up 75 per cent

Oilmeal exports jumped 75 per cent between April 2003 and March 2004 after a record kharif crop. Solvent Extractors' Association of India (SEA) said export of oilmeals during March 2004 was 510,800 tonnes against 155,350 tonnes in March 2003.

Export of oilmeals between April 2003 and March 2004 touched 3,323,025 tonnes from 1,896,521 tonnes.

Soybean meal jumped to 2,683,675 tonnes from 1,333,318 tonnes last year. Groundnut meal export rose to 126,750 tonnes from 15,225 tonnes last year.

Rapeseed meal exports were steady at 447,050 tonnes but castorseed meal exports declined to 65,550 tonnes from 92,445 tonnes.

Oilmeals were shipped through ports. Kandla handled 1,598,225 tonnes, followed by Bedi at 637,325 tonnes, Mumbai at 573,800 tonnes, Vizag at 157,450 tonnes, Mundra at 130,175 tonnes and Bhavnagar at 122,250 tonnes. Kakinada handled 103,800 tonnes against no exports last year.