Feed crisis pushes India to import GM-grains

from the US. As trade talks progress, the issue of feed security has been added to the food security debate. Talks gain momentum As India moves closer to a trade deal with the US, the dispute over tariffs on key agricultural commodities is intensifying. Poultry farmers are insisting on the need to open the market to GM imports from the US to maintain the industry’s profitability, said Ricky Taper, deputy secretary of the Poultry Federation of India. High feed costs are hitting profits Sharply rising feed prices remain a major challenge. According to a report by Crisil Ratings based on a survey of 30 poultry farmers in February 2025, the industry’s profitability could decline by an average of 50% in the 2025/2026 marketing year due to higher prices of corn and soybeans. Import duties a major hurdle High tariffs on soybean imports from the US (around 45-56.5% after taxes) make the supply uneconomic. According to Taper, the industry regularly faces shortages of feed grains, and ...