भाषा:

Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said on 3 November 2026 that India has never allowed imports of genetically modified (GM) products and will not do so in future, and that India has never opened its dairy sector to anyone in a trade deal. He was speaking to students at Kirori Mal College in New Delhi, in reply to a question on trade pacts. For poultry and dairy feed makers, the message is simple: do not expect foreign GM maize or soy meal to arrive through trade deals, so the price of feed will be set by what India grows, stores and moves. This article reports what was said, then gives our analysis of what it means and what policy has to do to make a no-import stance work.

Key facts (as reported by PTI)

ItemDetail
Date and place3 November 2026, Kirori Mal College, New Delhi
On GM productsIndia has never allowed imports of GM products and will not do so in future; he called it a “very sensitive” issue
On dairy“Till date, we have never opened up dairy for anybody”; India has never given duty concessions on dairy in any free trade agreement
CertificationDairy imports would have to be strictly certified, for example against animal rennet (an enzyme taken from the stomach lining of young calves) and calf meat in production
Trade prioritiesPreferential access for textiles, pharma, agri products, and gems and jewellery, with duties lower than on Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, China and the Philippines
Protected groupsFarmers, fishermen and MSMEs; marine products and dairy named as sensitive
Exports (DD India)About USD 480 billion in April to September 2026, up about 14% on last year, against a 2026-27 target of USD 1 trillion

The reports do not name maize, soybean or any specific trade partner, and The Hindu article we were sent could not be opened from our system, so we have used the PTI text carried by The Week and DD India.

Infographic: no GM imports and no dairy opening, Hi-Pro soymeal Rs 39,500 to Rs 66,500 per tonne, and five policy steps for yield, harvest, storage and stocks

What it means for the feed industry (our analysis)

GM is a broad word. The PTI text does not say which products it covers, but most maize and soybean grown in the big exporting countries is GM. In practice that means the feed industry should plan on the assumption that duty-free or relaxed import of GM maize and GM soy meal is not coming through trade deals. Poultry and dairy rations depend on exactly these two ingredients. Feed is 65 to 70% of poultry production cost, so this matters to every farmer.

The stance protects maize and soybean growers from cheap foreign supply, but it also removes the safety valve that importers used in a bad year. In 2026 the kharif maize crop was estimated at roughly 20 to 23 million tonnes against a record 30.5 million tonnes expected earlier, and soymeal at Indore rose from about Rs 33,800 to Rs 60,200 per tonne between January and July (see our feed reserve news). Rate cards from Skylark Proteins show Hi-Pro soymeal at Rs 66,500 per tonne on 4 November 2026 against Rs 39,500 on 11 November 2025. When imports are closed, a weather shock goes straight into the price.

The stance on dairy is a separate matter. It shields small milk producers from imported milk products, which keeps domestic milk prices steadier, but it does not change what a dairy farmer pays for cattle feed, because that is still set by maize, cake and bran at home.

It is also important to be clear on a limit. A stance against imports cannot by itself make feed cheaper. If India closes the door, it has to be able to grow, save and deliver enough.

What policy should do if imports stay shut (our view)

If the aim is to protect farmers by keeping foreign maize out, the country needs to modernise its own production line so that the farmer, the livestock keeper and the feed buyer are all protected. Four things matter most:

  • Raise yield. Better hybrids, quality seed, protective irrigation and good agronomy. Soybean still averages under one tonne per hectare, and maize output has grown mostly by area and demand. More tonnes per hectare is the only lasting way to keep prices in check without imports.
  • Mechanise harvesting. Timely harvest, shelling and drying machines save grain and labour, and reduce rain damage at harvest.
  • Cut post-harvest losses. Drying to safe moisture (below about 13% for maize), hermetic or silo storage and quick movement to storage. Wet or mouldy grain loses weight, quality and carries aflatoxin into feed and milk.
  • Control hoarding by stockists. Publish stock data every month, set stock limits that apply only when prices cross a pre-notified level, and release strategic stock by open auction, as the feed reserve proposal suggests. Rules should work both ways: protect farmers from price collapse at harvest, and feed buyers from spikes later.

Without these four steps, “no imports” can mean higher and more volatile feed prices, with the burden falling hardest on small poultry and dairy farms. With them, it becomes a real protection for the whole chain.

What farmers should do now

  • Plan for feed cost to follow the local crop and mandi. Compare maize and soy meal rates every week and buy in steps.
  • Store grain well if you hold stock: dry, off the floor, covered, and tested for moisture.
  • Track FCR each batch with our CFCR calculator, because feed efficiency is the cost you control.
  • Ask your feed supplier how long their stock lasts and on what basis they price it.
  • Dairy farmers: mix your own balanced ration where possible and add a mineral mixture every day.

Frequently asked questions

What did Piyush Goyal say about GM imports and dairy?

According to PTI, he said India has never allowed imports of GM products and will not do so in future, and that India has never opened its dairy sector to anybody in a trade deal.

Does this mean GM maize and soy meal cannot be imported?

The reports do not name specific products. Our reading is that the feed industry should not expect GM maize or soy meal imports through trade deals, but we have no official list.

Will feed prices fall or rise because of this?

The statement itself does not change a price. With imports closed, feed prices depend on the Indian maize and soybean crop, storage and trade, which is why yield, harvesting and storage improvements matter.

Source: PTI report via The Week and DD India, 3 Nov 2026 (also carried by The Hindu). Analysis sections are our own view. Written by the IMN Pyrophos team in our own words.

Related Posts:

Scroll to Top