Also known as: SBM · Soymeal · Soya bean meal · Soybean oil-cake (HS 2304)
The global reference vegetable protein for monogastric diets. 44–48% CP, excellent amino-acid balance, benchmark of least-cost formulation worldwide.
Short answer: Feed-grade soybean meal (soymeal) trades mainly as 44%, 46% and 48% crude protein; Brazil, Argentina and the USA reported the largest exports in 2024. FeedMatch Group's team turns one written specification into comparable quotes from relevant suppliers on the same delivered basis.
Compare origins on the same delivered basis for your discharge port and shipment window with the landed-cost calculator, then request offers through a reviewed RFQ.
Schemes buyers often ask suppliers to document for this ingredient — not a statement that any supplier holds them. FeedMatch asks for the current certificate in the RFQ; check that its scope covers the product and activity in the scheme's own register (see GMP+ and FAMI-QS).
Buyer-input calculator
Put a soybean meal offer on one delivered basis. Use the figures in the supplier quote and your own logistics estimate.
Source: buyer-entered figures only · Date: calculated now · Currency: selected above · Reliability: preliminary arithmetic estimate. Confirm duties, taxes, losses and charges with qualified advisers before contracting.
The parameters a soybean meal contract is actually judged on at discharge. Quote every offer against the same guaranteed analysis — a grade difference of two protein points changes the cost per unit of protein far more than the headline price per tonne.
| Parameter | Standard 46% CP (hulls in) | Hi-pro 48% CP (dehulled) | Why it matters to the buyer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crude protein (as-is) | 45–46% min | 47.5–48.5% min | The basis of price. Contract it as a minimum with a pro-rata price adjustment clause, not as 'typical'. |
| Moisture | 12.0–12.5% max | 12.0–12.5% max | Every extra point of water is a point of protein you paid for and did not receive; it also drives caking and mould in tropical storage. |
| Crude fibre | 7.0% max | 3.5% max | Fibre displaces energy in broiler and shrimp diets; the low-fibre grade is what justifies the hi-pro premium. |
| Crude fat (residual oil) | 1.5–2.5% | 1.0–2.0% | Expeller and mechanically pressed meal runs far higher; do not benchmark expeller against solvent-extracted meal on price alone. |
| Urease activity | 0.05–0.30 ΔpH | 0.05–0.30 ΔpH | The practical proxy for toasting. Above 0.30 means under-toasting and residual trypsin inhibitors; below 0.02 means over-toasting and lysine damage. |
| KOH protein solubility | 73–85% | 73–85% | Confirms the urease reading and catches heat-damaged lots that still assay full protein. |
| Sand / silica, ash | 1.0% / 7.0% max | 1.0% / 6.5% max | Adulteration and sweeping indicator on origin-blended parcels. |
| Documentation | GMP+ or FAMI-QS, phytosanitary, ISO 17025 CoA, GMO/non-GMO status, RTRS or EUDR where required | Same | Missing sustainability or GMO documentation is the most common reason a compliant cargo is rejected at an EU or MENA port. |
Ask every supplier to quote the same incoterm, discharge port, parcel size and shipment window. An FOB Paranaguá number and a CIF Lagos number are not comparable until freight, insurance, demurrage risk and duty are added.
Soybean meal is a traded commodity: the quoted number is a global futures price plus a basis your supplier controls. Knowing which part moved tells you whether to negotiate or wait.
The board sets the underlying value for every origin. Most export offers are priced as futures plus a differential rather than as a flat number.
Buyer action: Ask for the offer split into futures + basis so you can see which half changed between quotes.
Brazilian, Argentine and US basis diverge with harvest pressure, crush economics and export taxes; Argentine meal typically prices under Brazilian in a good crush year.
Buyer action: Always tender at least two origins in the same RFQ, even if you intend to buy one.
Container, break-bulk and Panamax freight per tonne can differ by USD 20–60/t on the same route, and small parcels carry the worst rate.
Buyer action: Consolidate requirements into a larger shipment window, or tender a combined parcel with a neighbouring mill.
USD/BRL and USD/ARS moves change what the origin seller will accept in dollars, independently of the board.
Buyer action: Fix the currency and the payment terms in the same negotiation as the price.
Non-GMO segregated, RTRS or ProTerra meal carries a premium that has ranged from USD 15 to over USD 80/t depending on availability.
Buyer action: Only specify the certification your customer or regulator actually requires — and price the conventional lot alongside it.
South American harvest pressure (Feb–Jun) and the US harvest (Oct–Dec) are the structurally cheaper windows for forward cover.
Buyer action: Plan forward cover into those windows rather than buying spot every month.
These questions turn a broad market search into a comparable procurement brief. Values, doses, substitutions and performance expectations must be approved by the buyer's qualified nutrition, veterinary, feed-science, safety and regulatory advisers.
State the protein source and processing method, guaranteed analysis, moisture, fibre, relevant digestibility basis, anti-nutritional limits, contamination limits and the species or feed phase. Crude protein alone does not make two offers equivalent.
Normalise offers to the same delivered moisture and nutrient basis, then compare usable nutrient value, quality variability, testing, freight, duties and rejection terms. A lower price per tonne can be more expensive when digestibility or consistency differs.
Request a current specification, technical and safety data, recent batch certificates of analysis, manufacturing and feed-safety certification, destination registration where required, allergen or GMO status where relevant, traceability details, shelf-life evidence and a clear procedure for non-conforming lots. Verify documents and claims before approval.
The quoted result can change with feedstock or active-material availability, production concentration, plant outages, energy and freight costs, packaging, order size, Incoterm, destination registration, testing requirements and delivery window. FeedMatch does not publish a live price; buyers should request a firm, time-bound quotation against one controlled specification.
Run every new soybean meal supplier through these eight checks before the first vessel or truck is booked. Each check has one piece of evidence that settles it, so the qualification can be closed in days rather than months.
| Check | Evidence to request | Accept | Reject |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crude protein and moisture basis | Contract wording plus three consecutive lot CoAs on the same basis | CP and moisture stated as-is with a named reference method (Dumas/Kjeldahl) and a moisture maximum | Protein quoted 'dry basis' with no moisture cap, or CP guaranteed as 'typical' |
| Heat treatment / over- and under-processing | KOH protein solubility, urease activity and PDI on recent lots | Urease rise 0.05–0.20, KOH solubility 73–85%, PDI 15–30% and stable lot to lot | Urease above 0.30 (under-toasted, trypsin inhibitors) or KOH below 70% (over-toasted, lysine damage) |
| Anti-nutritional factors | Trypsin inhibitor activity report from an ISO 17025 laboratory | TIA at or below 4 mg/g, with the method named | No TIA data, or a house method with no reference standard |
| Mycotoxins and contaminants | Per-lot CoA covering aflatoxin B1, deoxynivalenol, zearalenone plus heavy metals | Numeric maxima written into the contract and tested per shipment by an accredited laboratory | Annual or origin-level certificates presented as lot evidence |
| Origin, traceability and deforestation compliance | Origin declaration, RTRS/ISCC or EUDR due-diligence statement, GM status | Traceable to the crushing plant, with an EUDR statement where the destination is the EU | 'South American origin' with no plant name or chain-of-custody document |
| Sampling and arbitration | Contract clause naming sampler, method and arbitration body | Independent surveyor at load and discharge, GAFTA/FOSFA arbitration, retained samples for 90 days | Seller's own analysis binding, or no retained sample clause |
| Physical quality and shipment condition | Hold-cleanliness certificate, fumigation record, discharge survey report | Moisture at discharge within contract, no caking, no heat damage, free of foreign matter | History of wet or heat-damaged discharge with claims unsettled |
| Commercial and counterparty standing | Two trade references at similar tonnage, bank details verified out-of-band, GMP+/FAMI-QS certificate | Valid feed-safety certification, verifiable references, workable payment terms (LC or CAD) | Advance telegraphic transfer to a new counterparty with no certification or references |
A 5,000 t/month mill compares two CIF offers for the same discharge port and shipment window. The correct comparison is cost per unit of delivered protein, not price per tonne.
| Line | Offer A — 46% CP standard | Offer B — 48% CP hi-pro |
|---|---|---|
| CIF price quoted | USD 402/t | USD 421/t |
| Guaranteed protein (min) | 46.0% | 48.0% |
| Cost per protein point per tonne | USD 8.74 | USD 8.77 |
| Crude fibre | 7.0% max | 3.5% max |
| Formulation effect | Extra fibre displaces energy; the diet needs ~4 kg/t more added fat to hold ME | No energy correction needed |
| Added fat cost at USD 1,150/t | ≈ USD 4.60/t of finished feed | — |
| Effective cost gap | USD 402 + energy correction | USD 421, no correction |
Takeaway: On protein alone the two offers are within USD 0.03 per protein point — effectively identical. The decision is made by the fibre and the energy correction: once the added fat needed to offset the extra fibre is priced in, the hi-pro offer is the cheaper feed in any energy-limited broiler or shrimp diet, while the 46% grade stays cheaper for layer and ruminant diets that tolerate the fibre. Run both grades through your own least-cost matrix before signing, and put a pro-rata protein price adjustment into the contract either way.
Confirm the current rule for the exact product, target species and destination market before contracting. Private assurance schemes may support supplier qualification but do not replace applicable law.
Crude protein is nitrogen content multiplied by a conversion factor (usually 6.25); it estimates total protein but says nothing about amino-acid quality or digestibility.
The amino-acid profile — and above all digestible lysine, methionine, threonine and tryptophan — is what protein ingredients are actually bought for in modern formulation.
Digestibility expresses the proportion of a nutrient the animal can actually absorb; it converts an analytical composition into a nutritional value.
Ash is the inorganic residue after complete combustion; it indicates total mineral content and, in protein meals, is a practical marker for bone, shell, sand or mineral adulteration.
Moisture is water content expressed as a percentage; it dilutes every other nutrient, drives mould and mycotoxin risk in storage, and is the single most disputed parameter in bulk feed trade.
Microbiological specifications control Salmonella, Enterobacteriaceae, moulds and yeasts, protecting animal health, plant hygiene and — for several species — the human food chain.
Each parameter is explained in the specification library — what it measures, how it is tested and what to verify.
| Test | Why buyers run it |
|---|---|
| Crude protein (Kjeldahl or Dumas) | Contractual value; confirm nitrogen factor and moisture basis |
| Amino-acid profile, digestible basis | The real formulation value; detects heat damage crude protein hides |
| Urease / KOH solubility / protein dispersibility index | Processing intensity proxy for soy and heat-treated proteins |
| Total and acid-insoluble ash | Bone, shell, soil and mineral dilution indicator |
| Salmonella and Enterobacteriaceae | Protein meals are the classic entry point for pathogens into a mill |
| Moisture and water activity | Storage stability and short-weight economics |
Typically 3–6 months from production when held below 12% moisture, under 30 °C and protected from condensation. Marine and rendered proteins require antioxidant treatment; remaining shelf life on arrival should be contractual.
Formulation stages, KPIs and the ingredient basket for poultry — broilers operations.
Formulation stages, KPIs and the ingredient basket for poultry — layers operations.
Formulation stages, KPIs and the ingredient basket for aquaculture operations.
Formulation stages, KPIs and the ingredient basket for dairy cattle operations.
Formulation stages, KPIs and the ingredient basket for swine operations.
Certificates of analysis, sampling, inspection, origin, traceability and import documentation.
Step-by-step buying guides and printable verification checklists.
Least-cost, inclusion and landed-cost tools for procurement planning.
Technical articles, market context and regulatory background.
Educational reference maintained by FeedMatch Group. We do not rank, recommend or endorse manufacturers; values are indicative industry references and never replace testing of the delivered lot.
Next steps for a soybean meal purchase — the paperwork side of the shipment and the guides that cover tendering and verification:
Brazil (US$9.69 billion), Argentina (US$6.44 billion) and the United States (US$5.10 billion) reported the largest HS 2304 exports in 2024; the European Union (US$8.51 billion), Indonesia (US$2.57 billion) and the Philippines (US$1.59 billion) reported the largest imports. Origin choice still depends on your specification, route and documents — not on these totals.
| # | Reporter | Value | Quantity |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brazil | US$9.69 billion | 23,138,200 t |
| 2 | Argentina | US$6.44 billion | 16,674,900 t |
| 3 | United States | US$5.10 billion | 11,707,200 t |
| 4 | Netherlands | US$1.21 billion | 2,449,950 t |
| 5 | India | US$963.8 million | 1,866,760 t |
| 6 | Germany | US$905.9 million | 1,984,090 t |
| 7 | China | US$780.8 million | 1,598,950 t |
| 8 | Paraguay | US$594.9 million | 1,650,890 t |
| 9 | Bolivia | US$545.1 million | 1,485,500 t |
| 10 | Turkey | US$542.6 million | 1,085,470 t |
Soybean meal and other solid residues of soybean-oil extraction only — not whole soybeans (HS 1201), other oilseed meals, compound feed or additives. 96 reporters listed. Source: WITS / UN Comtrade, HS 2304, 2024
| # | Reporter | Value | Quantity |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | European Union | US$8.51 billion | 18,725,500 t |
| 2 | Indonesia | US$2.57 billion | 5,435,800 t |
| 3 | Philippines | US$1.59 billion | 3,154,040 t |
| 4 | Poland | US$1.57 billion | 3,495,410 t |
| 5 | France | US$1.45 billion | not reported |
| 6 | Thailand | US$1.36 billion | 2,834,320 t |
| 7 | Germany | US$1.18 billion | 2,492,910 t |
| 8 | Netherlands | US$1.16 billion | 2,467,490 t |
| 9 | Spain | US$1.11 billion | not reported |
| 10 | United Kingdom | US$990.2 million | 2,107,400 t |
| 11 | Japan | US$859.1 million | 1,630,530 t |
| 12 | Korea, Rep. | US$859.0 million | 1,736,630 t |
Soybean meal and other solid residues of soybean-oil extraction only — not whole soybeans (HS 1201), other oilseed meals, compound feed or additives. 138 reporters listed. Source: WITS / UN Comtrade, HS 2304, 2024
Purchase specification and commercial terms
Short answer: suppliers can only quote like-for-like when the specification and the commercial terms are written down. Use the two checklists below. Your nutritionist sets the nutrient values; this page does not suggest any limits, prices or tolerances.
| Product identity | Exact name, origin and process (e.g. solvent-extracted soybean meal), not a generic category. |
|---|---|
| Analytical specification | Parameters with limits and basis: protein, moisture, fat, fibre, ash or the key nutrient for that ingredient. |
| Contaminant limits | Mycotoxins, salmonella, heavy metals and residues under your local feed regulation. |
| Sampling and test method | Who samples, where (loading or arrival), how many samples, which laboratory and method. |
| Packaging and handling | Bulk, big bag or bags; storage and handling conditions in transit. |
| Documents per lot | Certificate of analysis, phytosanitary or health certificate and certificate of origin, as required. |
| Price basis | Price per tonne in one currency with an Incoterms® 2020 rule and named place (e.g. CIF named port). |
|---|---|
| Quantity and tolerance | Contract tonnage, delivery schedule and the agreed quantity tolerance. |
| Payment terms | Deposit, letter of credit or open account, and the documents that trigger payment. |
| Quality acceptance | Which analysis is final (loading or arrival), how a referee sample is resolved, and price adjustment or rejection rules. |
| Claims window | How many days after delivery a quality or quantity claim can be raised, and what evidence is needed. |
| Delivery and delay | Delivery window, who bears late-delivery costs and force majeure wording. |
| Validity | How long the offer stays valid and how price changes are handled for later deliveries. |
Compare offers on cost per kg of output, not price per tonne alone: a cheaper ingredient that worsens feed conversion can cost more per kg produced.
Calculators and checklists are free. Plant and equipment projects start from USD 250,000; ingredient and feed supply has no such minimum. Our team reviews each request before contacting suppliers. Incoterms® is a trademark of the International Chamber of Commerce.
Pick the lane that matches where you are in the purchase — each link goes to the exact tool or page for that step.
What exactly am I buying?
How much, and at what landed cost?
Is this supplier and lot acceptable?
48% CP (dehulled/hi-pro) SBM has hulls removed after extraction, raising protein and lowering fibre. 46% CP is standard and preferred where fibre is not a constraint. Price differential is typically €10–25/t.
Partial substitution with canola meal (up to 15%), sunflower meal (up to 10%), or emerging alternatives like insect and single-cell protein is common. Full substitution rarely pencils out on total amino-acid cost.
Solvent-extracted soybean meal is classified under HS heading 2304 (oil-cake and other solid residues from soybean oil extraction), commonly declared as 2304.00. Full-fat soya that has not been de-oiled does not belong in 2304 — it is classified with the beans or preparations depending on processing. Full breakdown, document checklist and permit notes: /guides/soybean-meal-import-documentation.
A typical shipment travels with an ISO 17025 certificate of analysis, phytosanitary certificate, GMO/non-GMO declaration, certificate of origin, bill of lading, packing list, fumigation certificate and — for many destinations — a pre-shipment inspection report and an import permit obtained before arrival. See the import documentation guide for the destination-by-destination detail.
Use FeedMatch Group's RFQ Builder to request quotes from origin exporters, after human review, (Brazil, Argentina, US) with certifications, incoterms and shipment window. Typical parcel sizes: 25 t containers, 3,000 t break-bulk, up to Panamax 60,000 t.
For commercial farm feed buyers
FeedMatch helps farm buyers compare feed suppliers, nutrition providers, additives suppliers and related solutions. FeedMatch is an intermediary and does not manufacture feed or provide financing directly.
Choose your path
Poultry, dairy & beef, pig and aquafeed, plus bulk feed contracts.
Soybean meal, grains, DDGS, fish meal, amino acids, vitamins, minerals, premixes and additives.
Suppliers are contacted only after authorized human review. Plant and equipment projects generally from USD 250,000; feed and ingredient supply has no such minimum.
How it works
| Soybean Meal | Evidence to request |
|---|---|
| Product-specific specification | Grade and dehulling; protein, fibre and moisture basis; urease or protein-solubility method; GMO documentation. |
Turn the product checks into a written specification approved by your technical team. Separate guaranteed contractual values from typical information; state units, moisture basis, analytical methods and tolerances. Request a dated, lot-linked certificate of analysis and representative sampling plan. Agree who releases the lot, what happens after an out-of-spec result, and how retained samples and claims are handled. A generic technical sheet is not evidence for the shipment you receive.
Use the same grade, quantity, named delivery place, Incoterm, currency and quote date. Separate product, freight, insurance, duties, testing, handling and payment costs; never count included freight twice or unknown charges as zero. Concentrates require an agreed active-content or activity basis. Moisture correction and nutritional equivalence must use measured analysis and qualified approval, not a kilogram-for-kilogram swap. Ask for quote validity and confirm inclusions before comparing totals.
State quantity and units per shipment, frequency, requested arrival window, packaging and unloading constraints. Record warehouse temperature/humidity needs, remaining shelf life at arrival, segregation and traceability requirements. Ask the team to obtain dated lead-time proposals and contingency terms; this is not a stock or supplier-availability claim. Product eligibility and import documents must be checked for the actual destination and animal species, not inferred from another market.
A lower ingredient invoice does not prove a lower cost of animal production. Use the FCR calculator with your own feed consumed, liveweight gain and complete-feed cost over the same period. Keep species, phase, feed basis and measurement method consistent. Do not attribute an FCR change to an additive without comparable evidence; the calculator evaluates inputs, not product efficacy. Any inclusion or reformulation decision belongs to your qualified nutritionist.
Buyer use is free. Ingredient and recurring feed supply are assessed by specification, viable volume/frequency, destination and logistics—not the plant/equipment capital minimum. FeedMatch reviews your request, contacts suitable suppliers and presents responses through the team; no direct buyer–supplier handoff and no guaranteed offers.
Send your specification, quantity and destination for human review; the US$250,000 minimum applies only to plant and equipment projects. FeedMatch reviews and organises your brief before contacting suitable suppliers, then presents responses through FeedMatch—not through direct buyer-to-supplier contact.
Submit your requirementsThe World Bank Commodity Price Data (Pink Sheet) lists soybean meal at US$447 per tonne for the September 2026 monthly average (US, 48% protein, FOB Rotterdam; published 2 October 2026). That is an international export benchmark, not a price at your mill: your delivered price adds ocean and inland freight, import duty, port and handling charges, and any protein premium or discount, and a quote may be on a different protein basis such as 46% instead of 48%. Use the benchmark to sanity-check offers, then compare quotes on one delivered basis. FeedMatch does not sell soybean meal: you submit the RFQ, our team reviews it and contacts suitable suppliers, and the responses come back to you organized side by side.
The World Bank updates it monthly; the figure shown is the September 2026 monthly average. Check the source for newer months before relying on it.
Divide each delivered price by its guaranteed protein to get cost per protein point, on the same moisture basis. The ingredient cost comparison calculator does this for you.
No. Prices come from suppliers' own offers; FeedMatch organizes the request and the comparison but does not set, guarantee or forecast prices.
