Interview: Cemalettin Kanaş

Having evolved from backyard farming into a major commercial force, India’s poultry sector now stands at a critical crossroads. Rising feed costs, ethanol-driven maize shortages, and the persistent threat of avian influenza demand strategic responses. Ricky Thaper, Joint Secretary of the Poultry Federation of India (PFI), draws on four decades of experience to outline solutions—from alternative feed sources to policy reforms—that could shape the industry’s future.

Ricky Thaper
Joint Secretary of the Poultry Federation
of India (PFI)

In an exclusive interview with Feed Planet, Ricky Thaper, Joint Secretary of the Poultry Federation of India (PFI), outlines the sector’s urgent priorities as it balances soaring demand with mounting pressures. With feed costs consuming 65–70% of production expenses, Thaper stresses the need for duty-free maize imports and GM feed alternatives, citing how sustainable supply at reasonable prices remains a significant challenge for the industry. Ethanol-driven maize shortages and stagnant soybean yields have forced the sector to explore solutions like U.S. sorghum, even as processing gains traction—currently just 8–10% of poultry meat is value-added.

Amid these headwinds, India’s biosecurity strides offer a blueprint: 33 WOAH-certified avian influenza-free compartments now bolster export potential. Thaper underscores collaborative policymaking to stabilize feed supplies while capitalizing on rising consumption (2.7 kg/year vs. global 15 kg). As he puts it, the focus must be on infrastructure and processing to ensure quality meat reaches consumers—a vision critical to sustaining the sector’s 8–10% growth trajectory.

You are widely recognized as a key figure in the Indian poultry sector. Could you please share more about your background and journey in the industry?

A career spanning of more than four decades, I have been associated with the Indian poultry sector, which has witnessed exponential growth in the last decades. The industry has transformed from predominantly a traditional backyard poultry into an organised commercial poultry. Currently commercial poultry accounts for 85% of total poultry production. I have been associated with building collaborations with global poultry communities throughout my career which has led to close collaborations of the Indian poultry industry with global players. I have been part of several industry delegations which have been raising issues associated with the industry with the government. Currently I hold the position of Joint secretary of the Poultry Federation of India.

ETHANOL VS. POULTRY: CAN INDIA BALANCE MAIZE DEMAND?

Rising feed costs, particularly due to increased demand for corn driven by the government’s ethanol production targets, are putting pressure on the Indian poultry industry’s profitability. With maize prices expected to rise further, what strategies is the Poultry Federation of India considering to address these challenges and ensure long-term stability in feed availability and costs?

Demand for the 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. 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 Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) in a report had asked the government to allow imports of GM Maize and GM Soybean / Soybean Meal because of ‘unprecedented increase’ in feed prices. In August, 2021, the government had relaxed import rules to allow the first shipment of 1.2 million tonne (MT) of GM soybean meal to support the domestic poultry industry after a record spike in feed prices. The poultry industry has communicated to the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying to allow duty-free maize imports also so as 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, the industry had stated that India’s 34.60 million tonne (MT) of annual maize production is insufficient to meet the requirements of the poultry industry as well as the nation’s food security.

As rise in feed costs hit the Indian poultry industry, sorghum, a non-genetically modified variety at current prices from the United States, could lower the cost of production for poultry and dairy farmers. The US sorghum can replace about 50% of maize used as poultry feed while the variety used for human consumption thus would not impact Indian sorghum farmers who grow the nutri-cereals for food purpose. While U.S. sorghum is tannin (a naturally occurring polyphenols in plants, which function as a defense mechanism, protecting plants from herbivores, pathogens, and harsh conditions) free, sorghum produced in the country is high in tannins and is seldom used for feed purpose. If it is ever used in poultry feeds, it is included at a 5% level and should be priced lower than maize by 15%, which is also rarely the case.

CAN FEED ADDITIVES CUT COSTS FOR INDIAN POULTRY?

With increasing feed costs, the use of feed additives is gaining attention as a way to improve efficiency and bird health. How do you see the role of feed additives evolving in India’s poultry industry?

According to trade data, in 2022-2023, the Indian livestock feed industry witnessed strong demand for feed additives, with amino acids, binders, minerals, probiotics, and prebiotics comprising 60.5% of the market’s total value. Lysine and methionine emerged as the leading amino acids in the country, accounting for 72% of the total feed amino acids market three years back. This growth was attributed to improved animal efficiency, better gut health, and meat production. Poultry was the dominant animal type in the prebiotics market, representing 62.6% of the market share value in 2022-2023. The feed additives are expected to witness sustained growth with steady increase in poultry meat and eggs consumption.

INDIA’S POULTRY SECTOR IN PROFIT SQUEEZE

India’s poultry sector is seeing strong demand, but operating profitability is expected to decline. What are the key market dynamics driving this trend, and how can the industry adapt?

Despite prospects of decline in profitability, revenues of poultry companies are likely to increase 8-10% next fiscal, following a similar growth rate this fiscal, driven by both healthy volume and higher realization. The Indian poultry sector, now an integral part of agriculture, has played a crucial role in meeting protein and nutritional needs of the large population. While the production of crops has been rising at a rate of 1.5% to 2% annually that of eggs and broilers has been rising at a rate of 8 to 10% per annum. The industry needs to work towards improving processing of poultry meat and ensuring infrastructure development at the retail levels or at the wet market so that quality meat is supplied to consumers. Further investment in backward integration infrastructure would boost growth of the India poultry industry.

INDIA’S BIOSECURITY MEASURES AGAINST BIRD FLU FEARS

Bird flu remains a persistent threat to the poultry industry worldwide. What impact does bird flu have on the poultry industry’s stability and balance?

India has been reporting a very few cases of LPAI (Low Pathogenic Avian Influenza) commonly known as ‘bird flu’ since 2006. Till date there is no report of human infection. The country had controlled the disease effectively through culling. The Influenza virus spread through poultry and wild birds along well-defined migratory routes. Given India’s position along the migratory bird flyway, developing an effective strategy for migratory bird surveillance at water bodies during the winter season is emphasized for early warnings and disease control.

The department of animal husbandry has formulated the National Action Plan for Prevention, Control and Containment of Avian Influenza 2021 for guidance of States and UTs for prevention, control and containment of Avian Influenza in the country. It aims at routine and targeted surveillance and instant stamping out of birds (in a radius of one km from epicenter), destruction of contaminated material, restriction on movement of poultry and Postoperative Surveillance Plan.

The department in collaboration with state governments gives emphasis on developing SOPs for environmental surveillance using low-cost methods at sites like wet markets, water bodies, wastewater, slaughterhouses, and poultry farms. The Department has recently submitted a self-declaration of freedom from High Pathogenicity Avian Influenza. To promote export the animal husbandry 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.

How prepared is the Indian poultry sector to manage future avian influenza outbreaks? Globally, what preventive measures must be taken?

Outbreaks of low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI) generally comes around winter (mostly in backyard poultry) and have an immediate sentimental effect on broiler prices. Growing awareness among producers and consumers, leading to lesser extent of demand shocks. 

Reports of bird flu all the stakeholders in the value chain from poultry farmer owners to sellers along with the government agencies must ensure continuous awareness creation about the safety protocols being followed by the industry to dispel any doubts in the minds of consumers. This would prevent frequent volatility in the demand for meat because of few reports about bird flu in some parts of the country.

Investment towards bio-security should be critical for the poultry industry. Central and state governments have been taking prompt actions like issuing prohibitory orders including culling instructions to contain the disease and prevent further spread.

POLICY SHIFTS AND FEED COSTS: FINDING THE BALANCE

As a contributor to the Reserve Bank of India’s inflation analysis team, how do you see government policies on agriculture and trade impacting poultry feed availability and costs?

Stable feed prices through sustained supplies of maize, soybean meal and coarse cereals remained a challenge for the industry. The poultry industry also acknowledges that supplies of maize and food grains made available for other sectors such as ethanol manufacturing.

We have been drawing attention of the government to liberalize imports of genetically modified maize and non-GM sorghum by reducing duties especially during lean supplies season. Ensuring sustainable supplies of feed ingredients keeping into consideration rising demand of these agri-commodities for meeting the need of the poultry industry is paramount.

As stated earlier, feed accounts for more than 65%-70% of variable cost of poultry players. Maize can be substituted with bajra and broken rice to a large extent; however, soybean meal remains the preferred protein source for poultry as the other alternatives such as groundnut cake and rapemeal have lower efficacy.

FUTURE OF INDIAN POULTRY

Considering challenges and opportunities, what is your long-term outlook for the Indian poultry industry, and what role will the Poultry Federation of India play in shaping that future?

Several reports have indicated that the Indian poultry industry’s profitability may decline next fiscal owing to feed costs even as strong demand would lead to growth of 8% to 10% in coming years. In India only 8-10% of poultry meat produced is processed chicken and the rest is sold as live chicken through numerous retail outlets also known as wet markets.

With the development of online retailers including Fresh to Home, Licious and several other players and expansion of global as well as domestic fast food companies including KFC, McDonald’s etc. processing of poultry has witnessed a sharp increase. It would also lead to value addition in the poultry products and would ensure higher income. It would result in production of quality poultry meat adhering the modern food standards. In the medium term, major players will focus on forward integration – setting up meat-processing capacities and in select cases retail outlets as well.

India’s per capita poultry meat consumption is substantially below global peers and global per capita consumption of 15 kg per annum. Domestic broiler meat production has grown at a CAGR of 10% during calendar year 2000-2022 and per capita consumption grew by over 6% to 2.7 kg per annum over the same period. On the back of favourable socio-economic factors and current low consumption levels, it is expected that consumption will grow, going forward.

NEIGHBORS SAY YES TO GM FEED.  WHAT ABOUT INDIA?

Is there anything else you would like to share with our readers?

Another issue I would like to focus on is improving quality of soybean meal available in the country. As the poultry industry is witnessing a growth of 7-9% annually while growth in overall crops sector is around 2% annually, we will be requiring imports of GM corn and GM soybean meal to reduce the feed costs. As GM Soybean / GM Soybean Meal and GM Corn import is allowed in neighbouring countries: Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Pakistan.

The poultry industry is hopeful that in coming years, Indian Government will also seriously look at allowing imports for usage in feed manufacturing. As an industry representative we are in discussions with senior officials at animal husbandry and agriculture department. Sustainable supply of feed at reasonable prices remains an area of challenge for the industry.