The poultry sector, growing at 7-8% annually with a turnover of ₹2.25 lakh crore, significantly contributes to India’s GDP and food security through affordable, high-protein eggs and chicken. Despite its impact and engaging over 10 crore people, the sector lacks representation in bodies like the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII). According to Bahadur Ali, President of the All India Poultry Breeders Association and MD of IB Group, the sector struggles to convey its concerns to the government, particularly due to inadequate data sharing.
To address this, the newly formed Confederation of Indian Poultry Association (PI-CIPA) aims to unify over 30 poultry associations nationwide to advocate for industry issues. The announcement was made during the Poultry Expo-2024, organized by IPEMA and Poultry India in Hyderabad, with Knowledge Day on November 26 preceding the event.
No Progress on Maize Import Request, Says President Bahadur Ali
President Bahadur Ali has expressed concerns over the challenges faced by the poultry sector due to issues surrounding maize, a key ingredient in poultry feed. Over 60% of maize production is consumed in poultry feed, with soybean also playing a significant role. However, recent price hikes and limited market availability of maize have left poultry farmers struggling. The rising cost of maize has significantly increased poultry feed prices, yet there has been no corresponding increase in the prices of poultry products like eggs and chicken. This imbalance has raised production costs without improving profits, putting additional pressure on poultry farmers. In response to these challenges, the industry has long appealed to the government to permit maize imports to stabilize supply and control prices. Despite the urgency of the situation, the request has yet to receive any attention or action from the authorities. Mr. Bahadur Ali highlighted critical challenges, including rising maize prices and limited availability, which have increased feed costs without a corresponding rise in product prices. The industry has urged the government to allow maize imports, but the request remains unaddressed.
IPEMA President Uday Singh Bayas announced that PI-CIPA would allocate 50% of profits from Poultry India Expo-2024 to support its initiatives, including promoting egg and chicken consumption and strengthening state-level poultry associations.
