Bird flu is a common phenomenon that results in economic losses. What is your take on this, and what strategies do you recommend to overcome this challenge?
Whenever a bird flu outbreak arises, there is a panic sale of broiler birds. It is known that there is no risk of virus transmission because we eat the chicken after boiling and heating. Awareness programmes are conducted with the help of local and government authorities for chicken consumption. In previous years, as a company we organised chicken festival at various locations to counter the fear of eating the chicken.

With different crops coming from different regions, how do you ensure a consistent and reliable supply of feed ingredients?
Previously, corn and soybeans were much more stable in terms of quantity as well as quality. But the scenario has changed, especially in the last 4 years or so. Crops have been diverted to food, ethanol, and exports. The soybean rate is also impacted by the international market. Hence, the industry should invest in storage facilities like warehouses and silos to plan 2-3-month inventory. Another possible solution is to use alternate commodities that are locally available, like broken rice, bajra, and wheat, along with enzymes to protect from price volatility (broken rice in Telangana or bajra in Rajasthan).

Due to oversupply in the market, the industry is projected to reduce placements. What is your strategy to cope with the market situation?
Surprisingly, chicken prices were better during the non-consumption season, and the industry projected the same price throughout the new-year season, which was not the case. It resulted in overproduction. The whole industry is suffering.

Earlier, state associations were taking initiatives to increase consumption and control production. But big players have their own agenda and strategy, so associations are not actively controlling the market. We have reduced the placement of birds by 10% and reduced the body weight by 10%; hence, there is an impact on cash flow.

What are your expansion plans for the coming years?
At Anand Agro Group, we are planning to achieve 100% owned infrastructure, which is currently 70% owned and 30% rented. Also, we are investing in storage facilities. In the next 2 years, the company will invest in processing plants, as B2B business is the future. Also, as acompany, we are procuring 50% maize and soya seed directly from 20000 farmers, and within 2-3 years, the plan is to bring it to 80% direct procurement of maize and soya seed.

The company is installing a second pellet feed plant with a capacity of 400 TPD to fulfil its requirements and also expanding its hatchery.

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Mr. Ricky Thaper, Treasurer, Poultry Federation of India (PFI) and Honorary Vice President, North India Broilers Producers Association (NIBPA), has been associated with the Poultry Industry for more than three decades and connected to the global poultry community explains key factors behind the growth of poultry industry and challenges ahead in the expansion of the industry in an e-interview with Think Grain Think Feed.

Would you please share a brief policy review for the Indian Poultry Sector?
The Indian poultry sector, now an integral part of agriculture, has played a crucial role in meeting the protein and nutritional needs of the large population. While the production of crops has been rising at a rate of 1.5-2% annually that of eggs and broilers has been rising at a rate of 6-9% per annum. Over the past two decades, it has evolved into a mega-industry, positioning India as a major global producer of eggs and broiler meat.

The government has been providing support in terms of providing financial incentives as well as taking steps in disease surveillance and curbing outbreaks amongst poultry birds. The Poultry Industry and the Government have been working in close coordination to address the issues in this sector. Under the National Livestock Mission, for the first time, the Central Government is providing subsidies to individuals, shelf-help groups, farmer producers organizations (FPOs), etc., to establish poultry farms with hatcheries.

The financial and technological assistance under the Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development Fund (INR 15,000 crores have been allocated since 2022) is provided for poultry farms, layer farms with environmentally controlled systems, broiler breeder farms, meat processing and value addition infrastructure, establishment of poultry feed plant. Close to 30 lakh farmers associated with Animal Husbandry and dairy have been provided with Kisan Credit Card facilities for meeting working capital requirements as done for crop growers.

As per our findings of a recent survey with 100 plus feed millers and industry experts, the Indian Feed industry might face the risk of further increase in feed prices while international reports suggest lower feed prices might support the industry. Would you please share your perspective on the present scenario?
Demand for poultry feed in the country has been rising at around 8-10% annually over the last decade. Feed which constitutes around 65-70% of the cost of the production consists of mostly maize and soybean meal (SBM). At present 60% of maize production in India is used as feed, with 47% of maize production going towards poultry and 13% for cattle feed.

However, the rate of growth in poultry meat and chicken production has surpassed the growth in maize and soybean output. To protect the interest of the domestic producers, the major national and regional poultry associations have asked the government to allow imports of GM Maize and Soybean because of the ‘unprecedented increase’ in feed prices.

Major Poultry Associations have written to the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying, Government of India to allow duty-free maize imports to enable the poultry industry to meet its future requirements. The current basic import duty on maize stands at 50%. Citing concerns over the rising maize consumption in ethanol production, India’s 34.60 million tonnes (MT) of annual maize production is insufficient to meet the requirements of the poultry industry as well as the nation’s food security.

The Indian government wants to focus on poultry product exports, being an industry expert who has been serving the industry for more than 35 years now, what challenges and opportunities do you foresee?
In the fiscal year 2022-23, India exported a notable 664,753.46 metric tons of poultry products, with a total worth of INR 1,081.62 crores (USD 134.04 million) to 64 countries.

However, the current share in India’s global poultry trade must increase from the current level of only 1.2% to at least 10% in the next two decades. Currently India’s primary exports are eggs and egg powder while a very small quantity of poultry meat is also exported to neighbouring countries. In the next decades, the country should focus on exporting more value-added products such as liquid eggs, egg chips, ready to cook and ready to eat products. This requires achieving higher meat production, consumption and adequate feed along with setting a target to increase processing to at least 20-30% in the poultry sector. The country should emerge as a hub of exporters of high-quality, safe and sustainable poultry products.

The Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying has been taking various initiatives to boost the export. The Department has recently submitted a self-declaration of freedom from High Pathogenicity Avian Influenza. To promote export, the Department has recognized 26 poultry compartments as free from Avian Influenza. On October 13, 2023, on World Egg Day, the self-declaration was approved by the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH). The focus should be on modernization in the poultry sector through infrastructure development, upgrading hatcheries, breeding farms, processing units and storage facilities to meet international standards, vet labs, testing labs and cold chains.

What is your take on the antimicrobial resistance (AMR) issue and the role of the Indian poultry and livestock industry in the same?
The Indian poultry industry has seen a paradigm shift as it has moved from backyard activities into major commercial farming. Although the poultry industry brought benefits to the economy as well as providing nutritional security, it has also brought some challenges in terms of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Most poultry production in India is through integrated farming systems – crop production, livestock, poultry, fisheries, etc. or semi-integrated farming systems (including poultry-fish integrated farming). There is a need for regular documentation of AMR in the poultry industry. The use of antibiotics needs to be regulated and optimized.

by Mr. Ricky Thaper, Treasurer, Poultry Federation of India (PFI)

The post Overview of Indian Poultry Industry appeared first on Benison Media.

by Think Grain Think Feed

The post INDIAN FEED SURVEY appeared first on Benison Media.

Several industry associations have penned letters to the Animal Husbandry Department requesting permission for maize imports. On December 23rd, a roundtable meeting, led by Ms. Alka Upadhaya, Secretary of the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying, featured representatives from various departments and industry associations. This strategic assembly convened key stakeholders, such as major companies, state governments, and industry groups, to discuss the challenges and strategies for exports of Indian poultry products. During the meeting, the poultry industry also voiced concerns about the rising prices of feed ingredients.

Think Grain Think Feed connected with various industry associations to discuss the ongoing situation and possible solutions to protect the industry.

Various industry associations penned a critical letter to Union Minister Parshottam Rupala, imploring the government to reduce import duties on maize. The poultry sector, a key player in the Indian economy, faces financial instability and consumer affordability issues due to escalating local maize prices, constituting 60% of poultry feed.

Industry seeks government intervention in maize imports
In the plea, Dr. Ajay Deshpande, President, Vets in Poultry (VIP) underscores the urgency of the situation, highlighting the immediate threat to the poultry industry’s financial health. Poultry feed accounts for 80% of production costs, and the surge in local maize prices, compounded by inconsistent rainfall in major maize-producing states, is adversely affecting chicken production.

He argues that the current maize prices of INR 25 per kg throughout India are unsustainable for the poultry farming community. Anticipating a further increase to INR 28-30 per kg by February 2024, the association foresees a worsening situation post that date due to uncertainties in Rabi maize production. The industry relies on imports to bridge the demand-supply gap, but the existing 60% import duty on non-GMO maize is discouraging.
In response to the crisis,

VIP urgently requests the government to consider reducing the import duty on non-GMO maize from 60% to either NIL or a maximum of 15%.

He argues that previous instances of maize imports have not adversely affected local farmers; instead, they played a crucial role in stabilizing demand and supply, benefiting both farmers and the poultry industry, and ensuring affordable access to nutritious protein for the people of India.

Soybean woes increase risks for the Indian poultry industry
Suresh Deora, Chairman, CLFMA of India, an association representing All-India manufacturers of compound feed expressed similar concerns. In the letter, the chairman highlighted that maize prices are currently at INR 25,000 per MT, while international prices for non-GM maize are at USD 275 per MT CNF Mumbai, equivalent to approximately INR 26,000 per MT for plant delivery. He underscored the impact of India’s ethanol blending program, which may divert 25 lakh MT of maize for ethanol production.
The industry is expected to encounter challenges with decreasing carry-over stock of soybean seed, making soybean meal more crucial for the poultry feed industry, especially as alternative protein sources like rapeseed DOC and groundnut DOC experience record-high prices.

The association urged the government to take positive action by permitting duty-free maize and GM soybean meal to support poultry and dairy farming in India.

Maize & Indian poultry growth: A substantial disparity
Over the last decade, maize crop growth has been at 4.5%, while the poultry industry has experienced a growth of 8.5-9%. This disparity highlights the anticipated maize shortage for the poultry industry, making sustainability challenging. The government’s plan to promote maize for ethanol would exacerbate the situation.
Representing the All-India Broilers Breeders Association, Zoya Afreen Alam, Director of IB Group, suggested that duty-free maize imports could aid the industry in managing this crisis, especially given increased insurance costs due to the ongoing Ukraine war.

Implementing stock holding capacity on domestic market traders is a potential short-term solution.

For a long-term fix, she proposed allowing GM crop cultivation, potentially doubling crop production and benefiting both agriculture and poultry farmers.

Ranpal Dhanda, President of the Poultry Federation of India (PFI), highlighted the 30-35% cost difference in feed ingredients gives an edge to American and Brazilian poultry industries in exporting to the Asian market. In contrast, India, with its high production costs, holds a mere 0.3% share of the Asian export market.

He proposed a potential solution for duty-free maize imports, emphasizing the need for a long-term strategy. Mr. Dhanda suggested motivating agriculture farmers to shift towards maize production by offering a buy-back guarantee at MSP or a rate higher than MSP. In alignment with this, PFI has initiated discussions with various seed companies and plans to experiment with different seeds to optimize production, thereby supporting the farming community.

He anticipates stability in maize prices due to recent developments, such as the removal of the sugarcane ban for ethanol production.

Vasant Kumar Shetty, former president of Poultry Farmers & Breeders Association-MH, expressed that while Indian maize farmers deserve fair compensation, it is crucial to safeguard the poultry industry. Rising feed ingredient costs would elevate the cost of production, potentially negatively impacting egg and chicken consumption. Last year, the average production cost was INR 91 per kg, with a selling price of INR 92 per kg, indicating a slim margin for the sustainability of the industry.

To address this, Mr. Shetty proposed that the Indian government should procure maize at MSP from farmers and supply it to the industry to help maintain production costs.

Dr. Pattabhi, Treasurer of the Institution of Veterinarians of Poultry Industry (IVPI), a leading association of poultry veterinarians, communicated his concerns over a 30% reduction in maize crop due to monsoon failure, average quality, and stock holding by traders during a phone call.

He suggested that allowing some imports would support the industry, with traders likely releasing stock once imports are permitted. This, according to Dr. Pattabhi, would stabilize prices at the current level of INR 24,000-25,000 per MT; otherwise, there is a risk of prices reaching the range of INR 27,000-28,000 per MT by February 2024.

Oversupply in the market
Regarding market oversupply, Mr. Shetty suggested industry unity in selling birds at 2-2.3 kg to prevent losses. Planning production based on expected demand is essential to avoid market disruptions and ensure profitability through balanced supply and demand.

Three years ago, he initiated National Chicken Day to raise awareness and boost chicken consumption, a concept embraced by the industry. He emphasized the importance of industry collaboration across various platforms for such initiatives.

Ms. Alam noted that increased body weight led to a market dip, but the holiday season, including Christmas and New Year, is expected to revive the market with heightened demand, consequently driving prices up. She emphasized that collaborative efforts among associations and industry members are essential to mitigate the volatility in live bird prices.

Attributing the current overweight birds to favorable weather conditions, even affecting South India with an average body weight of 2.7-3 kg, Dr. Pattabhi anticipates this situation to persist until year-end. He suggested the industry shift focus to fresh chilled chicken with each integrator planning its outlets. As an association recommendation, they propose that members and farmers adhere to the discipline of culling parent stock by 64 weeks.

Although discussed in association meetings, it remains to be seen when the industry will start implementing this practice. Dr. Pattabhi added that even if the industry begins following this culling practice for the next three months, a correction in supply would be noticeable by April 2024.

Mr. Dhanda discussed efforts to address market oversupply. In a recent meeting with North India farmers and PFI members, the association advised to start bird culling at 1.9-2.0 kg within a 32-day cycle instead of allowing it to sell at 3 Kg or more at a 40-day cycle.

Conclusions
The poultry industry seeks to assist maize farmers while safeguarding its interests. A consensus across discussions highlights the common suggestion that the government should intervene by permitting non-GM maize imports and reevaluate the decision to divert maize for ethanol production. Achieving market supply and demand balance necessitates a concurrent focus on discipline and promotion.

Disclaimer: A special thanks to Dr Jeetendra Verma, Dr Sujit Kulkarni, Ricky Thaper, and Dr Santosh Ire for their valuable input.

The post Escalating Maize Prices and Market Oversupply Raise Alarms for Indian Poultry Sector appeared first on Benison Media.

Many leaders have presided over the association in the past, steering us through challenging times and guiding us toward greater success. Their unwavering commitment to the betterment of the poultry industry has been instrumental in its progress. The previous presidents were:

• Mr. David J Lobo – DeeJay Farms
• Mr. Nanda Kumar – Komarla Hatcheries (Nanda Group)
• Mr. Sriharireddy – Lotus Farms
• Mr. MCR Shetty – Nutri Feeds & Farms Pvt Ltd
• Mr. K.S Ashok Kumar – Maa Integrators
• Mr. K.S Akhilesh Babu – Komarla Group
• Dr B Sushanth Rai – Raison Nutrition

Dr Sushanth – the first veterinarian to become the President of this august association Aug. 2019 to Oct. 2023, what milestones have the association achieved under your tenure?

There have been multiple but I would like to highlight the following three significant ones:

• 11 August 2021, when KPFBA entered a memorandum of understanding with the Karnataka Veterinary and Animal Science University (KVAFSU) in Bangalore. This collaboration led to the establishment of the KVAFSU-KPFBA Poultry Training Centre and Diagnostic Laboratory. This state-of-the-art facility serves as a hub for poultry training, scientific research, clinical trials, disease management, and education. It aims to empower poultry breeders, farmers, and KVAFSU students. The center is poised to support field trials and research endeavors throughout Karnataka, while also nurturing partnerships with like-minded organizations.
  On 25 May 2023 KPFBA entered into a memorandum of understanding with The Indian Council of Agricultural Research – National Institute of Animal Nutrition & Physiology (ICAR-NIANP) to further collaborative research in the field of poultry sciences.
• On 25 October 2023 KPFBA entered into a memorandum of understanding with ICAR-Central Avian Research Institute (ICAR-CARI), Izatnagar, to further collaborative research in the field of poultry sciences.

The association is actively involving experts from various institutions for 360-degree growth of the poultry sector. With a steadfast focus on bridging the manpower gap in the poultry sector, KPFBA is actively engaged in training farmers, farm supervisors, managers, and entrepreneurs and inducting programs for aspiring poultry farmers and students who are planning to pursue careers in the poultry sector.

Mr Pasuparthy, congratulations on the presidency. Please share your thoughts on the growth of the poultry industry and future plans of the association.
The last 5-year history indicates that the poultry farming profession has just not been volatile but violently volatile. Our profession carries huge responsibility for the well-being & welfare of all suppliers, bankers, vendors, independent poultry farmers, contract poultry farmers, crop agriculture farmers, and employees working in poultry companies.

This journey also made us realize & reconcile to the fact that one cannot eliminate another firm & so the importance of working together with grace, maturity, transparency & dignity making our profession respectable & profitable to all stakeholders. Profitable poultry farming comes from stable live bird prices. This builds capital reserves for the firms, which can be invested into automation, innovation & hiring the right talent.

This will help firms in creating business models that help them reach end consumers directly for higher realizations thereby further increasing the companies’ stability & making poultry farming attractive & sustainable. As an association, we have the following plans:

• Work closely with the state government, central government & FSSAI on all policy-making issues.
• Build training & orientation models with organizations like CPDO & others for a continuous supply of skilled manpower to our profession.
• Build tighter working relationships with other state poultry associations like PFI, BCC, etc across the country.
• Build good working relationships with agriculture & veterinary universities, IVPI, VIP & associations like CLFMA, Soya Processors Association, BioTech Consortium India Limited (BCIL), etc.
• Adopt more technology in data gathering, demand & supply estimations for poultry farming.

Last but not least, we as poultry experts, must invest in educating our consumers about poultry as a safe & sustainable source of protein. By investing in marketing campaigns, we must build consumer trust in our produce & dispelling myths & misunderstandings that are largely painting a negative image of our produce.

The post A Violently Volatile Ride of Indian Poultry Industry appeared first on Benison Media.

Well, India has experienced overall, great success during the recently hosted G20 Conference in New Delhi. What kind of impact do you think the G20 declaration shall have on the future development of Animal Husbandry, including poultry and fishery, in India?
It would not impact the animal husbandry department or livestock sector directly. The G20 declaration is largely a political declaration. However, it could have an indirect effect on the sector by aligning with the sustainable development goal of eradicating hunger and poverty. This declaration also emphasizes the importance of One Health, which involves a strong partnership and involvement of the livestock sector. Therefore, it is safe to say that the livestock sector should gain momentum given the G20’s unwavering commitment to both One Health and sustainable development goals. Nevertheless, it remains to be seen how this declaration can directly impact the livestock sector, whether through specific programs or direct intervention.

How do you define the sustainable livestock development?
We attach too much jingoism to sustainability. The development itself means challenging the status quo and creating some type of change. The standardz definition of sustainable development is that you take care of future needs by addressing the problems of the present, which is more of an academic definition. Sustainable development is the development that lasts, not a short-term development. In terms of the livestock sector, the first way to sustainable development is to ensure that the growth trajectory is constantly going up but so erratically that it is prone to be a setback in the future. Second, livestock could be a strong source of livelihood to bring economic prosperity in the rural areas and a strong partner in addressing the nutritional requirement.

Sustainable development should not only focus on the environment, but should also incorporate the values and culture of society, and any growth and development should be integrated into these values and culture.

Could you please provide an overview of the Indian government’s livestock farmer policies for livestock farmers, introduced during the past five years? Please also highlight the ones with the most positive impact.
Livestock and fisheries have been recognized as independent sectors of the agriculture industry by the government, which marks a significant shift in policy. Previously, livestock was considered as a mere extension of agriculture and therefore, lacked the necessary funding and resources.

In order to advance the livestock sector, the government has initiated various missions such as the Blue Revolution, PMMSY, Dairy Infrastructure Development Fund, and Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development Fund, among others. The aim is to invest capital into these sectors that were previously deprived of good investments.

Apart from direct subsidy infusion, the government is also providing income support to create sustainable infrastructure. This approach has yielded many success stories, with India emerging as a global leader in dairy and aquaculture.

However, the government needs to reevaluate its focus on productivity, quality of livestock and livestock products, and value-added products, as it has been solely focused on production until now. India has come a long way from grappling with food shortages to achieving self-sufficiency and now reaching a surplus state. The next step is to establish a position in international markets by improving the competitiveness of livestock products and shifting from production to productivity.

You have been on the side of policy making and now you know the in & out of the industry. How do you see the impact of such policies at the grass root level?
As per our constitution livestock and fisheries are the state subjects. Therefore, policies formulated by the Government of India are executed by various states. The government provides support in terms of various regulations, trade, and financial assistance which basically is a hand-holding. Once a particular policy is framed, it must be advocated and adopted by the states.

States may have their own policies, which might be stronger or better than the policies of the Government of India. However, states adopt the policies of the government because they come with financial support. There can also be some bias as all states do not have the same focus. For instance, fisheries is a strong component of economic development and governance in all coastal states, but not in many inland states where it is neglected and considered insignificant.

The implementation and execution of most policies of the Government of India require financial contributions from the state governments. However, some states adopt the policies but do not contribute funds.

Also, the success of policies is not only up to the government but it is also the stakeholders who adopt the policy. Any policy should be dynamic in nature, it has to evolve each day because a lot many issues arise during implementation. It is the same reason why shrimp policy has been such a huge success. The policy was created after close involvement and dialogue with all stakeholders, and it was reviewed and amended at every stage and amended at least a dozen times.

In conclusion, policies are not an unbridled success, but it cannot be said either that they have been failing. It is a mixed bag.

You have suggested at multiple platforms shifting the focus from total production to per-animal productivity. Can you propose two actionable points to implement this approach at the policy, industry, and farming levels?

Livestock has been a traditional occupation rather than a choice. However, if we start considering livestock as an economic asset, we can adopt a business approach towards it. When a cow is an economic asset then its performance will not be only measured based on milk produced per day rather it will be calculated based on the money it gives every day.
Despite having a large pool of scientific community and institutions, some of the breed improvement programs in India, still some of the breed improvement programs are not translated from labs to the field. Interestingly, the same cattle breeds have performed well in various markets like the USA, Australia, Brazil, and other places.

When it comes to shrimp, Ecuador has surpassed India and is fetching a much better price in the market due to its superior quality. Despite being a small country, Ecuador has established very good breed improvement programs and is not dependent on imports of Broodstock.

The second intervention that can improve the livestock industry is feed management. The feed should be precise and tailored to meet the nutritional requirements of animals at different stages of their lifespan, their health status, and their need for carbohydrates, proteins, minerals, etc. The government should create a policy ecosystem that facilitates the stakeholders of the sector.

Your opinion on the recent developments in relaxation to import chicken and eggs all the way from USA. (ref: Hindustan Times)
It is long back that we lost this case to the WTO, we should have seen it sooner or later and rather we should have a strategy by now. I do not think the industry should be much worried about this. The apprehension of the industry is that a large amount of chicken would be dumped in the country. It means we probably are still not ready to face this competition. If we impose unreasonable restrictions, we will only limit our own opportunities to expand abroad. Therefore, I suggest that this situation should be viewed as both a challenge and an opportunity for industries to improve their own protocols and quality. We are such a huge market that there is a market for every product.

However, in case we feel that these imports may cause severe damage then we should have an alternative regulatory strategy in collaboration with the government on how to stop or how to discourage.

Indian shrimp production is set to decline by 15-20% in the current fiscal year as a sharp fall in global prices and sluggish exports have discouraged aquaculture farmers from raising their output. Your comment.

There is a general concern and a downward trend. The Indian market has expanded at an unsustainable rate of ~1000% in just one decade and it is impossible to maintain such growth. We were too focused on exporting our products rather than developing our domestic market. Our dependence on imported inputs and export markets has left us vulnerable to external circumstances. Therefore, it is crucial to prioritize the development of a domestic supply chain.

Also, the industry should address the quality issues. Because of small gains, we have compromised biosecurity measures which impacted the quality of the end-product.

What do you think about collecting and sharing the prevailing market prices of all agricultural commodities at every mandi / village on a dynamic basis 24x7x365 days a.k.a. like share prices traded on the stock exchanges across the world?
It is a very good idea; the prices should be shared on a real-time basis across the country. It could support farmer through various kinds of platforms like app based or internet web-based platforms or other social and mass media. Probably, it should further involve online trading options for farmers, where he could place his product for online sale, like e-pasu haat platform introduced by the ministry. This would rather instill a lot of transparency and objectivity in the entire system and bring lot many benefits to the farmers of the country.

The post A Continuous Policy Evolution is Must for Achieving Desired Outcomes appeared first on Benison Media.

Dr. Sandeep Karkhanis

Could you kindly provide some information about Noveltech’s journey in India, particularly its success story in the poultry feed industry?
Noveltech’s journey in India, which began in 2018, is a testament to our unwavering commitment to providing top-quality animal feed to farmers. Our story is one of passion, dedication, and growth.

Our journey started with a simple dream – to empower farmers with the best possible animal feed solutions. As we embarked on this path, we were fortunate to be joined by visionary partners who not only believed in our mission but also shared the same vision for excellence.Through strategic acquisitions, we expanded our reach and capabilities. The integration of Rohini Minerals, Nutrikraft India, and Neogenetics Feeds led to the birth of Noveltech Feeds. This consolidation brought together expertise, resources, and synergies that have propelled us forward.

With our partners by our side, we continue to set our sights on even greater heights and milestones. Our collective dedication to innovation, quality, and sustainability drives us each day. We are one of India’s largest commercial poultry feed players (layer & broiler) with 20 manufacturing units across the country i.e., Pan India manufacturing footprint.
As we move forward, Noveltech remains steadfast in its commitment to supporting farmers, advancing the animal protein industry, and contributing to the holistic nutrition of our nation. Our journey is a testament to the power of collaboration and shared purpose, and we look forward to the exciting chapters yet to be written.

The company has decided to relaunch its cattle feed division. What market factors influenced this decision?
The cattle feed business is driven by several key factors. Over the past five years, we have witnessed remarkable success in the poultry feed sector, establishing ourselves as a trusted and recognized name. This experience has given us valuable insights into the feed industry. We recognize the vast untapped potential in the cattle feed market. India ranks first in Milk production in the world contributing 24% of global milk production. India is one of the largest, fastest growing cattle feed market in the world, and still there is a huge gap between requirement and potential, thus creating a huge opportunity for cattle feed formulators and manufacturers.

While our poultry feed business has flourished nationwide, we recognize that there is room for expansion in the cattle feed market. Leveraging our existing infrastructure and customer relationships in these regions provides a competitive advantage.

We aim to bring fresh perspectives, innovation, ultimately benefiting customers. We are excited to embark on this new chapter and look forward to making a positive impact in the cattle feed industry, just as we have done in poultry feed.
Considering the variation in raw material quality and availability across states, how does

Noveltech ensure consistent end-product quality?
At Noveltech Feeds Private Limited, our commitment to ensuring consistent end-product quality revolves around empowering farmers to enhance their livelihoods. We achieve this by providing exceptional quality poultry and cattle feed, along with a range of technical and non-technical support services, including up-to-date market insights.

Our core focus remains on delivering high-quality products, and we uphold rigorous standards in the ethical sourcing of our raw materials, setting a new benchmark in fortifying the animal protein sector.

Within our procurement department, we place a premium on sourcing the finest raw materials available. We conduct regular vendor audits to assess the quality and reliability of their supplies. Additionally, our backward integration includes a solvent plant that supplies a substantial portion of our raw materials. We also engage in importing medicines for our premixes, ensuring that we have access to the best ingredients.

Our dedication to providing farmers with top-notch feed translates into improved quality of eggs, meat, and milk, vital for enhancing the overall nutritional landscape of the country. This contributes significantly to the goal of fostering a healthier India.

Furthermore, our team of nutritionists excels in formulating feed solutions that not only ensure consistent quality but also optimize production costs of poultry produce. Our overarching motto centers on bolstering the farmers’ economy, allowing us to produce cost-effective yet high-quality feed that benefits both the farming community and the environment.

In this digital age, what digital technologies has the company implemented?
In response to the digital age era, Noveltech Feeds Private Limited has proactively integrated several cutting-edge digital technologies into our operations to enhance efficiency and customer satisfaction. Some of the key digital initiatives include:
We are utilizing advanced data analytics, we analyze production and quality data in real-time. This helps us make informed decisions, predict maintenance needs, and optimize our manufacturing processes for consistent quality.

For Customer Engagement and Support, we leverage digital communication channels such as social media, email for queries to provide prompt customer support, share educational content, and engage with our customer community.

We use data analytics and market research tools to stay updated on market trends and ensure our product offerings are aligned with customer preferences.

These digital technologies not only streamline our operations but also enhance the overall experience for our customers and partners in the industry. We remain committed to staying at the forefront of digital innovation to meet the evolving needs of our industry in this digital age era.

Where do you see the company 10 years down the line?
In the coming 10 years, we envision Noveltech Feeds Private Limited as a dynamic and influential player in the animal feed industry, driven by innovation, sustainability, and a commitment to customer success.

In essence, our vision for the next decade revolves around growth, sustainability, innovation, and a continued dedication to improving the livelihoods of farmers and the quality of animal protein production in India. We are excited about the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead and are committed to realizing this vision through hard work, collaboration, and a passion for excellence.

The post Noveltech Relaunching its Cattle Feed Division appeared first on Benison Media.

Would you please share the present scenario of the Indian feed industry?
The Indian feed industry operates as a commodity business that relies on the supply-demand scenario and market sentiments. Consider the case of maize from the last Rabi season. Due to unexpectedly low prices, a large inventory was created in May, but prices further droped at the beginning of June while the majority of inventory was already done by the large players in the poultry sector and maize traders. In June and July, the price of maize increased further due to export parity and traders lobbying. However, during Shravan, there has been poor demand from the industry, and as a result, the maize price has stabilized. Based on the current year’s yield of maize, existing inventory, and low demand from the poultry sector, there is a less likely chance of maize prices increasing until November. The kharif maize harvest typically arrives after Shravan, from September onward. Although there is a possibility of good poultry replacements and incremental demand for maize, the prices of maize and soy doc should remain relatively stable until October.

For the aqua industry, the government’s introduction of the Blue Revolution scheme has led to significant developments in the aqua sector, whereas the shrimp market has been negatively impacted by slow demand, falling prices in the global market due to excess stock, and a resulting decrease in local production.

Over the past five years, the Indian dairy industry has become better organized and is shifting towards balanced feed. With a better understanding of compound feeding, demand is increasing in both dairy as well as aquaculture sectors. Conversely, the poultry industry is struggling with inconsistent demand.

Veg. thali price has increased by 34% in July, would you please share the impact of inflation on the poultry and livestock sector?
As a representative of the industry, I want to clarify that there is no inflation in the poultry and livestock sectors. In fact, chicken is the only major food commodity that has experienced negative inflation. If the cost of production is compared with end-product prices, the farmers hardly make any profit throughout the year. With such an ongoing scenario, delivering on the government’s vision of doubling farmers’ income is impossible.
The costs mentioned above are calculated at the farm level. However, when considering other expenses such as transportation, shrinkage, trader/cooperative margin, and retailer prices, the live bird per kg hardly brings any profit to the farmer. Often, it is even below the cost of production. The same principle applies to dairy farmers as well. Per kg of chicken cost INR 150 ten years ago and it is the same price even now most of the year. The prices of Rahu or Catla fish are also almost the same as they were a decade ago. Even if there is an increase in milk prices, the government immediately intervenes to control the end prices. Despite this, farmers in the poultry, dairy, and aqua sectors hardly make a profit of over 10% throughout the year. Does it look like inflation?

What would be your suggestions for the industry to support the farmers?
Multiple associations represent various industries, but unfortunately, no one is reaching the farmers. There are associations for breed, feed, layer, broiler, cattle feed, fish, animal health, and many others. State associations are different from all India associations. There is almost no coordination between different associations. If stakeholders are not working together, how can we effectively advocate for farmers? How can we approach the government with a unified goal? It is important that we ask ourselves if we are truly fighting for the benefit of farmers.

This lack of coordination is not only challenging the industry but all players who are directly and indirectly associated with the livestock and aqua sector. It is a low-profitor loss-making business.

To tackle this issue, all associations could collaborate with the government to strategize ways to reach farmers in different regions. Education programs for farmers for better productivity, applying for various available schemes, etc. will help in achieving the government’s goal of doubling farmers’ income with adequate profit for investors by selling products at better prices.

The post Defining Inflation in Poultry & Livestock Sector appeared first on Benison Media.

From your point of view, what kind of changes do you envisage bringing about, in order to update undergraduate veterinary education in the country?
Well, while our efforts shall be to make the learning for veterinary graduates, more practical as well as pleasant, our main thrust shall be to educate the young veterinary professionals on how to fulfill the future requirements of the country’s Animal Industry with respect to its different segments, viz. farmers raising animals, animal and feed industry owned by private sector, cooperatives as well as in government sector. In addition to that, courses shall be reorganized in such a way that it includes the recently emerged technologies apart from disease diagnostics and disease control in animals.

What kind of changes do you think should be brought in the country, in order to improve Nutritional Security and multiply animal farmer’s profits?
As per the last census, the livestock population of India is 535 million, handled mostly by resource-poor farmers who are not well educated. Universities like GADVASU play a major role in providing extension services to such farmers through training the trainers i.e., field staff of line departments. But academia also should keep evolving as per the requirements of the industry and for encouraging entrepreneurship.

As India is well known for its indigenous technical knowledge, this needs extensive promotion through extension. Professor Punniamurthy (Rtd) has contributed extensively to the subject. National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) has already included 16 tested technologies in the standard operating manual, which have yielded very positive results for the farmers and the public. A dairy union has been able to reduce its milk antimicrobial residues by 80%.

The country can do wonders through a program like Indigenous technical knowledge to One Health.

In what way do you think that the existing Lab to Land program needs a new kind of push to help in transferring the newly evolved technologies to the field?
In the country, the Central Agriculture Extension System, called Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) also supports the farmers. There are nearly 731 KVKs in the country, almost one in each district. Punjab has 22 KVKs and 3 of them come under GADVASU. It works rather both ways, bringing farmers’ problems to the university for research and taking research findings/technologiesto farmers i.e., lab to land. There is an urgent need to make this program more innovative to educate farmers about the latest technologies in animal production.

Along with these KVKs, GADVASU also works through different Progressive Farmers Associations catering to Dairy, Livestock, Pig, Goat, Poultry, and Fisheries farmers and other such bodies. The university organizes a weekly program with farmers in each sector. With other activities like melas (farmer events), a dedicated call center named Pashu Palak-Tele Advisory Kendra, a monthly magazine in the regional Punjabi language -Vigyanik Pashu Palan, etc. the university keeps a regular interaction with the farmers. University also has four regional research and training centers across Punjab where farmers get the necessary training and other required information. Such types of interactions between trained technicians and animal farmers should be promoted and extended in other states of India as well.

Could you throw some light on Farmers Producer Organization (FPO)?
In FPOs, groups of farmers with similar interests come together. GADVASU faculty have helped in the formation of three such FPOs in different parts of the state. These are supported by the KVK staff of the university who guide them on government regulations &funding and give them training, while NABARD helps to identify the resources andappoint CEOs & Managers (who can be from amongst the members or outsiders) and provide funds for salary, office & other utilities. They are basically given hand-holding on all processes like in the case of fish farmers, whether it is rearing, processing, or marketing and contributing to better profitability for the farmers.

Please tell us about the changing Scenario in Dairy Production.
Indian dairy industry is changing at a fast pace and we must incorporate technologies like AI, IoT, Robotics, etc. to sustain the sector. High-end technology is already incorporated in private dairies like Godrej, Chitale, etc. but it needs to be adopted at a higher pace across the country for benefits to percolate to the smaller farmers.

What are the other kinds of Governmental programs/support in the offing to help animal farmers in increasing productivity and thereby, their incomes through animal farming
The government of India is supporting the farmers with various developmental schemes like Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development Fund, Dairy Infrastructure Development Fund, National Livestock Mission, etc.

Though the contribution of the livestock sector in total agriculture and allied sector GVA (at constant prices) is nearly 32%, the budget allocated is just 5.3%, as compared to the budget allocated to the crop and horticulture sector. States like Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, Haryana, and Maharashtra are allocating 15-25% of funds to the livestock sector. In fact, all the different agencies which work for increasing animal food production through research, development, and commercialization, should impress upon the govt for better allocation of funds in the animal sector, which would remove the lopsided allocation, and shall ensure nutritional security as well as better income for animal farmers in the long term.

The post A Better Livestock Budget Can Ensure Nutritional Security & Multiplied Farmers’ Profits appeared first on Benison Media.

Present Status of Feed Safety Infrastructure
The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) is a regulatory body that grants licenses on receipt of an application, but the enforcement of the compulsory BIS Certificate is done by the authorities notified for quality control orders, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) being one such authority for food products and recent intervention has been done in feed products also.

On October 6, 2021, FSSAI issued a directive specifying that all commercial feeds intended for meat and milk-producing animals must comply with the BIS specifications (Indian Standard, IS 2052: 2009- Compounded Feeds for Cattle – Specifications, 4th revision) and shall carry the BIS mark. But it has not yet been implemented. Though BIS has already granted 124 licenses to manufacturers for the use of the BIS standard mark on

Compounded Feeds for Cattle as per Indian Standards IS 2052: 2009.
Almost 50 feed manufacturing companies, mostly big players, are registered with BIS. This is minuscule compared to the size of the industry. As more feed manufacturing companies start adopting the regulations, the lab infrastructure also needs to be further developed.

There is a lack of National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL)-accredited food & feed testing labs. The centre for Analysis and Learning in Livestock & Food (CALF) at NDDB Anand is one of the most prominent multidisciplinary analytical laboratories in the country. The facility tests feed samples from across the country, and recently VERKA also set up such infrastructure. Still, there is a long way to go.
Many smaller players, especially in mash feed manufacturing, do not follow any product identification or other quality parameters.

States such as Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, and Odisha have Livestock Feed acts under which law enforcement is done to ensure the quality of packaged animal feed and the expiry date printed on the packets. Other states and UTs should also be adopting it to ensure safe feed and hence safe animal food production.

Is BIS Certification Transferable?
As of now, there is no clarification on whether a company already registered with BIS would need to apply for further registration if the FSSAI regulation is implemented or how the company should proceed in the case of multiple species feed manufacturing.

Role of Regulations in Mitigating Aflatoxin
Aflatoxin is a huge concern for the poultry and livestock industries. Especially in the case of animal nutrition, almost 70-80% consists of fodder, which is not regulated and highly susceptible to alflatoxin development because of favorable climatic conditions in India. Hence, without fodder quality assurance, there would be hardly any change in the dairy industry.

DDGS
E20 fuel, the government aims to blend 20% ethanol with petrol by 2025 where corn will be a major ingredient. This will bring more DDGS (a by-product) and might challenge the availability of corn in the feed sector. Regular intervention is needed to get the desired quality of DDGS for the animal feed industry which otherwise can be another huge concern.

Initiatives from the New Chairman
As the chairman of the esteemed association, I am planning to implement the following:
1. Run for protein
2. Segregation of feed millers depending upon their major interest in any species
3. Establish a pilot feed mill with the ministry to train young staff

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