New export policy likely to boost poultry sector

​Hyderabad: The upcoming agri export policy this week by the Union Cabinet is likely to take the poultry industry to the next level, says industry insiders. Speaking to the Hans India, on the sidelines of the 12th anniversary expo of Indian Poultry Equipment Manufacturers’ Association (IPEMA) 2018, O P Choudhary, Joint Secretary, Department of Animal Husbandry, Government of India, said: “The industry must focus on improving the quality of export oriented products like smoked chicken, chicken patties, nuggets, kebabs, hot dogs, egg powder, egg rolls, egg cutlets, yolk powder, etc”. 

With the proposed National Agriculture Export Policy likely to provide an assurance that the processed agricultural products and all kinds of organic goods will not be brought under the ambit of any kind of export restriction such as imposing minimum export price, export duty and ban, it is time poultry sector rises up to the opportunity.”

He said, till date poultry sector’s growth is attributed to many factors like rising income, rapidly expanding middle class, vertically integrated poultry, lowering of consumer price through reduction of production and marketing costs, integrated production, market transition from live birds to frozen products, policies that ensured supply of competitively priced corn and soyabean. 

But from now on, India’s unorganised and backyard poultry sector which is also one of the key reasons for generation of subsidiary income for many landless and marginal farmers and which also provides neutral security for the rural poor must take advantage of the proposed stable and predictable policy with limited state interference to send a positive signal to the international market. 

With the policy recommending setting up of a strong quality regime with focus on strong R&D, new varieties, modern laboratories for effective accreditation and monitoring of products, the industry which has shown great resilience in sustaining the growth rates and achievements against adversity thanks to the resilience of the sub-sectors, perseverance of the private sector and timely intervention by the government must go places, he added.

Earlier, speaking on the cascading effect of a potential cage ban on the agro farmers, Harish Garware, President, IPEMA, said: “The cage ban threatens to drive up edible oil prices and put agro farmers of soya, sunflower, mustard, sesame, rice bran, cotton seed at high levels of distress. Edible oil is extracted from such crops. Once oil is extracted, the remainder is converted into de-oiled cakes (inedible proteins) and used as chicken feed. The bird converts this to edible protein. Selling these do-oiled cakes to poultry farms helps reduce the cost of edible oil for common consumers while greatly benefiting crop growers.” “The allegations by foreign-funded NGOs on animal health and upkeep are ill-conceived. Motivated PILs have been filed seeking a ban on conventional poultry egg systems,” Garware said.

Asked about hygiene conditions and the space for the birds to move around freely, they said they used the system in vogue in several countries to house commercial layer bird farms. The activists have been protesting against the use of ‘battery cages’, in which hens are crammed in small, enclosures in unhygienic conditions. The industry leaders, along with poultry equipment industry representatives, gathered here on the eve of the 12th edition of the IPEMA expo, beginning Wednesday. The three-day event will showcase products, services and equipment from manufacturers from India and abroad.