Push to declare 2026 as ‘Year of Soy’ to boost nutrition, farmer incomes

New Delhi [India], July 15: Despite being the fifth-largest producer of soybean globally, India uses most of its crop for oil extraction, exporting the high-protein residue as low-value animal feed.

The White Paper recommends increasing domestic consumption of soy products like tofu, soymilk, soy flour, nuggets, and dal alternatives.

A national consultation held in the capital has recommended that the government declare 2026 as the “Year of Soy” to combat India’s protein deficiency crisis and support soybean farmers. Organised by the Soy Food Promotion and Welfare Association (SFPWA), with backing from the Soybean Processors Association of India (SOPA) and The Solvent Extractors’ Association of India (SEA), the event brought together key stakeholders including NITI Aayog, ICAR, MoFPI, CSIR, and Yes Bank.

The consultation centred around a draft White Paper titled “Improving Food and Nutrition Security by Mainstreaming Soybean-Based Food Products,” which outlines how soy-based foods can serve both nutritional and economic objectives. The paper was presented by SFPWA Chairman Dr. Suresh Itapu, while the inaugural session was chaired by Prof. Ramesh Chand, Member, NITI Aayog.

Despite being the fifth-largest producer of soybean globally, India uses most of its crop for oil extraction, exporting the high-protein residue as low-value animal feed. Meanwhile, regions producing soy—such as Madhya Pradesh—also suffer from widespread protein malnutrition. “We’re exporting nutrition and importing malnourishment,” noted one industry executive at the event.

The White Paper recommends increasing domestic consumption of soy products like tofu, soymilk, soy flour, nuggets, and dal alternatives. Doing so could improve public health, create rural employment, and boost farmer incomes. Encouraging local value addition through FPOs and MSMEs was seen as key to unlocking soy’s economic potential.

Soy-based foods, once viewed as niche or inferior, are now widely available—from modern retail shelves to school meal programmes. Yet stigma persists, with soy often dismissed as “poor man’s protein.” The consultation called for mass awareness campaigns to reposition soy as a high-quality, affordable, and sustainable protein for all.

Key data presented includes the fact that 90% of Indians are protein deficient, and soy protein is six times cheaper than egg and half the cost of wheat protein. Its inclusion in public schemes like ICDS, Mid-Day Meals, and PDS could yield significant health benefits.

Declaring 2026 as the Year of Soy, stakeholders say, would drive coordinated policy action across ministries, boost local procurement, and align with initiatives like Atmanirbhar Bharat and the Nutrition Mission. Recommendations from the consultation will be submitted to relevant ministries for further action.

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