Country's Soybean Production Likely To Touch 11 MMT

India's soybean production is likely to touch 11 million metric tonnes (MMT) in 2016 and the industry seeks government support for inclusion of soy in government feeding and social welfare programmes and for the general consumption to ensure nutrition security of India.

"Following good monsoon, we are hopeful of achieving higher soybean production of 11 million metric tonnes (MMT) in 2016 as compared to 7.2 MMT last year. Soy could be a wonderful solution to reduce the protein calorie malnutrition in India, and our government should include it as a main ingredient for various supplementary nutrition and welfare programmes to ensure a healthy generation," Ratan Sharma, Director - India & ASC Soy Food Program, US Soybean Export Council (USSEC) told reporters in Mumbai.

USSEC (United States Soybean Export Council) in collaboration with the Association of Food Scientists and Technologist, Soy Food Promotion and Welfare Association, Soy Processors Association and Solvent Extractors Association of India organised an event on 'Soy nutrition and Soy opportunities - Creating Linkages.'

Speakers at the event deliberated on various aspects of the sector and addressing the relevant issues to recommend for the policy driven support to include soy in government feeding and social welfare programmes and for the general consumption to ensure nutrition security in the country.

Sharma said soybean is one of the very few plants that provide a high quality protein with minimum saturated fat. It contains all the three macronutrients required for good nutrition, as well as fiber, vitamins and minerals.

Sharma pointed out that various soy products like soymilk, tofu, soy nuggets, soy fortified wheat flour and gram flour, soy based dal analogue, have been made by using high end processing technology, tasty and safe for consumption.

Sharma mentioned that soy fortified wheat flour can be widely used in the Public Distribution System. He pointed out that India imports more than five million metric tons of the dal (lentils) from other countries. Government should think of promoting soy based dal analogue which is an extruded product by using wheat, soy and corn.

This dal is much cheaper than the regular dal and superior in nutrition. This can reduce the import burden to the government up to a great extent, he said.