New Delhi, March 22 -- A price-signalling war is on between the government and processors of soybean, as the two have put out conflicting production estimates of the key cash crop that's an affordable source of edible oil.

According to the Union agriculture ministry's second advance estimates, there has been a record production of soybean in the country at 15.1 million tonnes during the kharif marketing season 2024-25. However, the industry pegs it at just 12.6 million tonnes.

Currently, the price of soybean oil in the wholesale market hovers at Rs.129 -132 per kg.

"The trade feels that the data released by the central government is too high, as area has fallen by seven lakh hectares. Ideally, the difference between the government data...