Dept of Animal Husbandry and Dairying hold meeting with Poultry exporters to boost Indian poultry

To promote export the department recognised 33 poultry compartments as free from Avian Influenza.

 A roundtable meeting was held yesterday here under the chairpersonship of the Secretary, Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Alka Upadhaya. This strategic gathering brought together key stakeholders, including leading companies, state governments, and industry associations, to deliberate on the “Export of Indian Poultry Products: Challenges and Strategies to Strengthen the Poultry Ecosystem.”

In the meeting, Alka Upadhaya highlighted that the Indian poultry sector, now an integral part of agriculture, has played a crucial role in meeting protein and nutritional needs. While the production of crops has been rising at a rate of 1.5 to 2 percent per annum, that of eggs and broilers has been rising at a rate of 8 to 10 percent 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.

In the fiscal year 2022-23, India made significant strides in the global market, exporting a notable 664,753.46 metric tons of poultry products, with a total worth of Rs. 1,081.62 crores (134.04 million USD) to over 57 countries. According to a recent market intelligence study, the Indian poultry market achieved a remarkable valuation of USD 30.46 billion in 2023 with a CAGR of 8.1 per cent from 2024-2032.

Alka Upadhaya informed that 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 33 poultry compartments as free from Avian Influenza. The Department based on the validity has been notified 26 compartments to the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH). On October 13, 2023, the self-declaration was approved by WOAH. Further, the Department took initiatives to resolve the issue of feed shortage in the past years.

Upadhaya strongly emphasised on the promotion of poultry exports, strengthening the Indian poultry sector, improving the ease of doing business, addressing challenges in poultry product exports, and strategizing the integration of units in the informal sector and further cementing poultry sectors position on the world stage. She also shared insights on Department proactive approach to mitigate the risks associated with HPAI by adopting the concept of poultry compartmentalization to facilitate the international trade of poultry and poultry-related products.

The roundtable meeting served as a platform for dynamic exchanges, encouraging collaborative efforts to address current challenges and formulate robust strategies for the sustainable growth of the Indian Poultry sector. In the meeting the poultry sector representatives, exporters discussed various issues related to poultry export.

To promote export the department recognised 33