Automation in poultry industry enables world-class production

Hyderabad: Despite challenges across all fronts, Indian poultry industry has grown by leaps and bounds due to automation, strict housekeeping, exacting ventilation, feeding practices and disease control mechanism ministered by responsible and trained farmers. India is the world’s second largest egg producer and third biggest chicken producer after China and US.

The automatic feeding systems and egg collection mechanisms have helped the poultry farmers in Telangana in producing world-class products, says Uday Singh Bayas, President of Indian Poultry Equipment Manufacturers’ Association (IPEMA), while announcing the 15th Poultry India Expo – South Asia’s biggest poultry event in Hyderabad on Nov 22-24 at HITEX, Hyderabad.

He said that the Indian broiler production is projected to increase by 7 per cent to nearly 6 million tonnes, processed chicken meat demand is projected to grow between 10-21 per cent and layer production is forecast at 125 billion eggs. “The poultry industry is playing a flagship role of being India’s champion to eradicate malnourishment and protein deficiency in the country,” he said.

Speaking about the three-day expo, Uday Singh says, “The event will attract a record 380 companies from India and 45 companies from abroad and is expected to draw over 30,000 business visitors across 32,500 sq m and six exhibition halls. On November 21, the much acclaimed Knowledge Day will shed light on various factors that beset the poultry industry.”

“More than 1,500 delegates from India, Africa, Europe, US and SAARC nations will listen to the world’s finest minds speak on the latest scientific innovations in breeding, hygiene, nutrition, animal health, poultry equipment and marketing. I am happy our government is determined to safeguard our sector so that we continue to produce world class poultry meat and eggs,” he adds.

Today India’s poultry industry, with it’s enabling of low cost model and increased productivity, is a showcase of success across the world. It contributes significantly to the eradication of protein deficiency and malnutrition and employ millions, especially women from rural India and has spawned dozens of small and medium entrepreneurs producing downstream products and services for the industry.

The exhibition’s main objective is to help the poultry farmers keep abreast of latest developments in management, animal health & nutrition, breeding, poultry farm equipment and new techniques in feed manufacturing and poultry production at an affordable cost. Eggs and chicken are most ideal protein food that helps in eradicating malnutrition amongst the poor and lower middle-class households.

The Indian poultry sector contributing Rs. 1.25 lakh crore per annum to National GDP is one of the most important sectors of Indian agriculture and allied activities. The Indian poultry sector is providing direct employment to over 25,000 layer farmers and 10 lakh broiler farmers providing much need gainful employment in rural India.

Even today, India has more than one-third of the population below the poverty line and due to low protein consumption; malnutrition is widely rampant in Rural India. However per capital availability of eggs in India at present is 90 and chicken meat is 5 kg requiring the industry to double its output to meet the domestic protein needs of the country.

As per National Institute of Nutrition (NIN) the recommended per capita consumption of eggs is 180 and chicken meat is 9 kg. There are great prospects for growth due to requirement with the country and as well as prospects for exports. India is geographically ideally located to cater to the requirement of Middle East and African countries which Indian poultry is yet to tap thereby giving huge scope for future.

Indian poultry requires approximately 35 million tonnes of feed every year consuming 16 – 17 million tonnes of maize, 4.5 million tonnes of soya and other agricultural bi-products used in poultry feed. Only because of poultry requirement, 2 million maize farmers in the country are able to get suitable price for their products and use of agricultural by products in poultry feed helps over all agricultural economy.