Indian customs authorities have launched an investigation into a massive surge of soybean imports declared as originating from Niger. Authorities suspect these shipments, which reached 380,868 tonnes this year, are actually of Nigerian origin and mislabelled to exploit duty-free import status reserved for least-developed nations. While India permits tariff-free imports from Niger, these shipments face a potential 45% tariff if proven to be mislabelled. The probe follows a period where Nigeria’s agricultural trade balance shifted into a deficit, as the country seeks to ramp up its soybean production capacity.