Around 11,000 metric tonnes of Niger-origin soybeans bound for India were diverted to other Asian markets at steep discounts as customs authorities stepped up scrutiny. According to reports from The Hindu BusinessLine, the diverted soybeans were sold to buyers in Vietnam, Indonesia and Bangladesh at prices between $470 and $510 per tonne, compared with more than $650 per tonne agreed by Indian buyers who refused delivery. The diversion occurred after customs authorities issued an internal alert last month regarding suspected import tax evasion, with four trade sources confirming the shipment diversions on Thursday.
Indian customs authorities are investigating a surge in soybean imports declared as originating in Niger, suspecting the cargoes came from Nigeria and were mislabelled to evade import tariffs. As reported by Reuters, India allows duty-free imports from countries categorised as least-developed, such as Niger, but authorities are seeking more documents to verify the soybeans' origin for duty-free entry. Buyers are reluctant to take delivery because they fear the documents provided by sellers will not be sufficient to prove the soybeans' origin and they will be forced to pay the 45% duty. Indian customs authorities did not immediately respond to requests for comment, while Niger's Chamber of Commerce and Industry also declined to comment.
Around 60 containers of soybeans, or 1,500 tonnes, remain stranded at Jawaharlal Nehru Port (JNPT) near Mumbai after customs authorities stepped up scrutiny of imports declared as originating in Niger, following an internal alert issued to customs officials last month. According to The Hindu BusinessLine, container freight rates have risen sharply in recent months due to the Iran war, and sellers are keen to avoid shipments getting stranded at ports where they could incur hefty demurrage charges. India imported a record 1 million metric tonnes of soybeans this year after a poor harvest, making the customs probe particularly significant for market supply chains.
India permits imports only of non-genetically modified (GM) soybeans, limiting supplies to a handful of African countries including Benin, Nigeria, Togo and Niger, where non-GM beans command a steep premium over lab-altered varieties. As reported by The Hindu BusinessLine, Niger-origin soybeans were sold for as little as $470 per tonne, compared with more than $650 per tonne agreed by Indian buyers, as sellers sought to limit losses rather than pay the import tax required for Indian customs clearance. India's soybean imports declared as originating in Niger rose to 404,429 tonnes in the first eight months of 2026 from zero, even though Niger produces no significant quantity of the oilseed. African sellers are diverting shipments to other Asian markets, where buyers typically purchase GM soybeans, forcing sellers to offer the non-GM beans at discounts to match GM soybean prices.
