India holds soybean cargoes over doubts about Niger origin, sources say

MUMBAI: Indian customs authorities have withheld clearance of soybean cargoes declared as originating in Niger this month as importers failed to provide documents proving the oilseeds were sourced there to qualify for duty-free entry, sources said.

About 1,500 metric tons of soybeans, or 60 containers, were stranded at Jawaharlal Nehru Port (JNPT) near Mumbai, sources from the customs department told Reuters.

India allows duty-free imports from countries categorised as least-developed, such as Niger.


Customs authorities have stepped up scrutiny of soybean imports claiming Niger origin following an internal alert issued to customs officials last week, the sources said, as concerns rise that Nigerian soybeans are being mis-declared to benefit from duty-free treatment.

The sources declined to be named as they were not authorised to speak to the media.

An alert issued by the Office of the Commissioner of Customs, Nhava Sheva, in Maharashtra, and seen by Reuters, advised field officers to use a risk-based approach to verification and thoroughly check transit documents for goods declared as originating in Niger.

Reuters on Monday reported that Indian customs authorities are investigating a surge in such soybean imports.

India's soybean imports declared as originating in Niger rose to 404,429 tons in the first eight months of 2026 from zero, trade ministry data showed.

Last month, customs authorities issued notices, seen by Reuters, to dozens of importers who had brought in soybeans declared as originating in Niger, seeking documents to verify that the oilseeds were produced there.

None had submitted the required documentation so far, one of the customs sources said.

The cargoes being held at JNPT are in addition to those already released. Customs will take action after receiving responses to notices sent to importers who have already taken delivery of their shipments.

Authorities have also found cases in which amended bills of lading were submitted after the vessels departed, while shipping documents did not cover the full journey from Niger through Nigeria to India, the sources said.

Soybeans are relatively hardy, and their quality is unlikely to deteriorate even if the containers remain held at ports for a couple of weeks, said sources among soybean processors, also requesting anonymity.

Before quality begins to deteriorate, importers are likely to either pay the applicable duties and take delivery of the cargoes or divert them to other destinations, they added.