China has dropped a years-long ban on rapeseed meal imports from India as the government seeks to diversify sources of protein used in animal feed, the customs administration said on Monday.  Rapeseed meal shipments from India can resume from Monday if they meet certain inspection and quarantine requirements.

Indian rapeseed meal exported to China must be from processing plants inspected and approved by the Export Inspection Council of India and registered with China’s General Administration of Customs.

Mustard sowing has been started in some scattered parts of the country. Delay in monsoon withdrawals with late rains in the North-West region of India has left with adequate soil moisture for early sowing. Expecting the sowing pace to be above 5-year average and thus has the potential to reach record acreages this season.

China was the top buyer of Indian rapeseed meal before the ban was imposed in 2012 over quality concerns.