Dr. Pratik R. Jadhav
PhD scholar,Department of Poultry Science, DUVASU, Mathura, Uttar Pradesh.
Modern intensive poultry industry has achieved phenomenal role in providing high quality protein in terms of chicken meat, eggs and poultry byproducts. In terms of industry dynamics, India is currently positioning third in egg and fourth in meat production with 109 billion eggs and 4.7 million tons (carcass weight) per year respectively of market size. According to the All India Poultry Breeders Association (AIPBA), the industry employs more than 10 lakh poultry farmers and contributes Rs 1.3 lakh crore to the country’s GDP directly. Poultry farming offers direct and indirect employment to over five crore Indian citizens engaged in poultry production, trading, feed manufacturing, agriculture crops, logistics, exports and others.
In the novel coronavirus outbreak, rumours were circulated in social media, linking poultry birds as possible vectors of the virus and the consequent lockdown have pushed the poultry sector in the country into a crisis with losses projected at Rs 22,500 crore from beginning of this year due to sharp decline in demand. There are many reasons for lower demand of poultry products- mainly ban on transportation and form of overall chicken consumption, only 30-35% is from household sale, while remaining 70-75% demand come from institutional sales from restaurants, parties and get-togethers, railway and air travel, corporate meetings, tourism, etc. Moreover, the rumours and wrong fear of coronavirus getting transmitted from chicken leads to decline in consumption and a big drop in prices.
Thorough taxonomical study of coronaviruses can be help yield the scientific explanation to counter such rumours. The entire Coronaviridae family is classified into four subdivisions, or genera, viz. Alpha-, Beta-, Gamma– and Deltacoronavirus. The recent ‘novel’ coronavirus, officially called SARS-CoV-2, SARS and MERS coronaviruses belong to the genus Betacoronavirus. However, the avian coronavirus, which we call the ‘Infectious Bronchitis Virus’ (IBV) belongs to the genus Gammacoronavirus. Scientists first reported the IBV in the early 1930s, in North Dakota, USA. Since then, they haven’t been able to establish a single incident of IBV being transmitted from chicken to human. In similar vein, there’s no scientific evidence to support the claim that chicken harbour COVID-19 and transmit it to humans.
Poultry production has been challenged by Covid19 both from logistic and demand perspective. Owing to the disturbance and imbalance in demand-supply equation, as supply being in abundance compared to requirement of market, the change in poultry farming would be inevitable in days to come.Farmers and integrators wouldcompell to drop their productionby a minimum of 40-60% than the optimum production capacity of the chicken and eggs, so as to get this produce absorbed in market at just prices. Farmer should produce smaller body weight up to 1.6- 1.8 kg with better FCR of around 1.4. They need to pay more attention on industry’s transition from wet market to a processing oriented (chilled/frozen) market that would be crucial for value addition as well as increasing the potential for international trade where India currently has a negligible presence. Designing the nutrient content of eggs by dietary interventions and value addition ofmeat by processing can create promising place for poultry industry in much larger food processing industry. Smoothening the flow of input like maize and soya from agro-market to industry is necessary to minimise the cost is the major challenge in the crisis for poultry sector.
In India, considering the global impact of COVID-19, it can be said that it will be”a bright light at the end of a tunnel”-particularly for large players in Poultry Industry. Thereby, many opportunities come to door because-
1) Already Meat Processing Units in US being closed down due to COVID-19 infection among employees, which will create opportunities for domestic poultry enterprises to grab the market and dominate it
- Brazil, the largest producer and exporter of Broilers now becoming the next epicentre of COVID-19 infection, would create opportunities for our poultry entrepreneurs to raise our exports
- Owing to rise in global sentiments against China, most of the nations are reluctant to trade with China and they are looking for an alternative like India with good gesture. If India could grab this opportunity and secure its place in global market, bright future awaits for Indian Industries!
It has always been said that, “a problem always comes with an opportunity!”Covid-19 pandemic has created an opportunity for Indian Poultry industry to shine and put impact in the global trade like never before. Therefore, t’s a time to raise ours bars for ethical poultry production practices and processing to meet the international market and export standards. The bright future waits for IndianIndustries as a whole!
There will be vast scope for export of egg and broiler meat from India.
