Soya Meal

The soya meal is extracted from the soya bean, regarded as an important crop throughout the world. Soya meal is regarded as the best vegetable protein food source and accounts for over 65% of the world's protein requirements. Much of the soya feed is used as animal feed and rest is used for varied human consumption purposes like in baking and meat substitutes. A solvent extraction method is used in the production of the soya meal where the beans are first crushed and subsequently, the soya oil and soya meal are extracted. It is a highly preferred food source as it is easily digestible, protein rich and also due to its energy giving nature. Soya bean is the preferred oilseed after groundnuts of which India is the largest producer.It is produced by solvent extraction method where the oil is extracted and then defatted. Soya meals can be used to prepare sweet or

savory baby food. Soya bean meals are high in B-complex vitamins, have a proven ability to lower cholesterol and is anti carcinogenic. Soy contains essential amino acids, proteins and other nutrients. and is classified as a food and drug. The Soya plant or Glycine max was cultivated as early as 3000 BC in China and was regarded as one of the five sacred crops In China. It was brought to Europe but the climate and the soils were found to be unsuitable for production of the soya crop. Later, it was brought to the USA, where it became popular and was cultivated on a vast scale.

Soya is a heavily traded commodity and the Chicago (CBOT) is known as the largest soya futures market in the world.

Soya bean is the preferred oilseed after groundnuts of which India is the largest producer. Around 3-5 million tons of soya meal is produced in India annually. Soya bean production requires right weather and temperatures. The animal feed sector accounts for the highest demand of a whopping 98%. Pests, diseases and epidemics affecting the cattle and poultry have an unfavorable effect on the price of soya. The prices of maize, jowar and bajra are the other determinants of the price of the soya meal products.