India egg group seeks moratorium on payments from producers

The National Egg Coordination Committee (NECC) of India has appealed to the government to grant a one-year moratorium on payment of interest and loans used by poultry farmers. The organization believes that the moratorium will provide immediate relief to the farmers who have been facing a severe financial crisis for the past two years because of an unprecedented increase in the cost of essential feed ingredients such as corn and soybeans.
Since April 2012, soymeal prices have been constantly rising in India, and has now reached unaffordable levels. NECC has cited forward trading, exports, speculation and manipulation of price by traders and multi-national companies as reasons for the jump in soy costs, the organization said in a press release. The price of soymeal, according to the committee, has jumped about 67 percent in two years’ time. The increase in input costs has led to a 35 percent jump in the costs it takes to produce one egg, according to the Hindu Business Line.
Already worried about the high cost of soymeal, the NECC says egg and poultry producers are also concerned that the costs of feed may further increase, as there is a strong possibility that insufficient rainfall will lead to a smaller soybean crop.

Egg exports up in India state of Tamil Nadu

The Rs 400 billion (US$7.75 billion) egg industry in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu has seen its exports go up with the lifting of an import ban from Oman, a boost to India's industry as it struggles with high production costs and lowered demand during a seasonal slow period, according to reports.
The Oman ban was imposed the last week of March due to bird flu concerns; Oman accounts for 33 percent of Tamil Nadu's egg exports. “We send two to three containers (of 472,000 eggs each) a day to Oman," said P. Selvaraj, zonal chairman of the National Egg Coordination Committee. "And we expect poultry products to be back on the menu of other Arab countries also soon. We are currently shipping eggs to Afghanistan, Kazakhstan and Algeria.”
According to Selvaraj, egg exporters face significant competition from Brazil with their large-sized, low-priced eggs. But, "we are hopeful of gaining a foothold in these markets," he said. “We expect exports to rise slowly and steadily. Afghanistan remains our top destination as of now."

Tamil Nadu egg prices up eight times in four weeks

Wholesale egg prices in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu have increased eight times since July 21, according to the National Egg Coordination Committee, from the set minimum price of Rs 2.72 (US$0.05) per egg to the current Rs 3.25 (US$0.06) per egg.
The current price represents only the third time it has ever passed the Rs 3 mark. The increases are due to a renewed demand for eggs after the end of Shravan (the austere period; the fifth month of the Hindu year) in north India, or the end of Aadi in Tamil Nadu, said committee chairman P Selvaraj.

But in spite of the increases, farmers are still losing money, according to Tamil Nadu Poultry Farmers Association President R Nallathambi. "The price revision has only reduced the losses suffered by farmers," said Nallathambi. Since traders deduct 25–35 paise towards packing and handling charges, farmers get only around Rs 2.79–2.89 (US$0.05) per egg. "We are incurring losses, as the cost of production is Rs 2.95 per egg," he said.

Bangladesh raises concerns over India egg imports, avian influenza

Bangladesh's poultry industry has raised concerns over egg imports from India, a bird flu-affected country, saying that such imports from a country not free from bird flu widen the risk of the spread of avian influenza locally.
In November 2011, Bangladesh's commerce ministry allowed Dhaka-based Faria Enterprise Ltd. to import 10 million hatching eggs from India. In October 2010, the ministry allowed the same company to import 10 million day-old chicks from India and other countries with a deadline of June 2011, but recently extended that deadline to June 2012. "Being a bird flu-affected country, we cannot export our poultry products," said Moshiur Rahman, convener of Bangladesh Poultry Industries Coordination Committee. "On the other hand, we are importing poultry products from another bird flu-affected country."
The industry isn't against poultry imports, according to Rahman, but given the current troubles in Bangladesh with avian influenza, imports should come from places without bird flu troubles of their own — not, for example, the border areas of India, where exports to Bangladesh likely come from, and where avian influenza is a high risk. The country is currently importing half the supply needed to satisfy the local daily demand of 35 million eggs due to challenges caused by bird flu.

India egg prices decreased to raise consumption

India's National Egg Coordination Committee in the Namakkal zone has effected a 15-paise cut in egg prices, from the already decreased April 2–6 price of Rs 2.30 (US$0.04) per egg, to encourage domestic consumption and to normalize an overflow of stock resulting from an Oman-imposed ban on the import of poultry products from the country.
Oman imports one-third of India's poultry exports, and the industry has resorted to price slashing to avoid building up inventories over the summer. Namakkal accounts for nearly 95 percent of India's egg exports. A drop in egg prices is not entirely unexpected approaching the summer months, as an increase in temperature usually results in decreased consumption in the country, according to P. Selvaraj, chairman of the National Egg Coordination Committee.

India egg prices drop due to Oman ban

Wholesale egg prices in India may drop due to an Oman ban on Indian poultry products, which went into effect on March 27 and will remain until three months after India has declared itself free of bird flu, according to reports.
So far, the ban has caused a backlog of 15 million to 20 million eggs per day, as Oman is the source of one-third of India's poultry exports. Wholesale egg prices have dropped to Rs 2.30 (US$0.04) per egg in the first week of April. “With table eggs and other poultry products going off the menu in many Gulf nations, we turned our focus towards new markets such as Afghanistan, Sri Lanka [and] West African countries such as Monrovia, Angola and Free Town," said an exporter. "But with this ban we are now very doubtful of our fortunes.”
The National Egg Coordination Committee had been cutting egg prices to help offset the challenge and avoid building up inventories as the summer season approaches.  

India egg exports, demand up in February

After a short drop, India's egg exports and demand are on the rise for February, as are profits as prices increase on good domestic offtake coupled with a cut in output, according to P Selvaraj, chairman of the National Egg Coordination Committee. The country is shipping considerable containers of eggs to Afghanistan, said Selvaraj, but domestic demand is seeing a steady rise, as well. On February 1, egg prices were at Rs 2.47 (US$0.05) per piece, and on February 22 they were at Rs 2.80 (US$0.06). The Committee has decided to raise the price further, to Rs 2.84 per piece. “Now that the austere seasons are over, the demand for poultry products has risen," said Selvaraj. "Average daily production of eggs fell by [1.5 million] a day. Namakkal produced around [30.7 million] eggs in January this year.” The price of layer birds is also witnessing a rise, with the National Egg Coordination Committee increasing the rate by Rs 2 (US$0.04)/kg to Rs 35 (US$0.71), while the Broiler Coordination Committee's rates for cull birds is down by Rs 9 (US$0.09)/kg to Rs 46 (US$0.94).

India lowers egg prices to boost consumption

To increase poultry consumption, India's National Egg Coordination Committee has lowered egg prices by 25 paise to Rs 2.70 (US$0.05) each.
Prices reached a record Rs 3.13 (US$0.06) in December as a cold wave in the north and the intensification of cyclones in the south pushed up poultry prices. The price cut, say industry sources, is motivated by buyer resistance and the need to clear out stock that piled up during Pongal season, when schools are closed and fewer trade trucks run among the states. “We don't want to pile up these perishable products and hence we have trimmed the prices to perk up consumption,” said one source. The Committee has also lowered prices for layer birds, to Rs 30 (US$0.60) per kg from Rs 43 (US$0.86) per kg. The Broiler Coordination Committee has lowered the rate for cull birds to Rs 46 (US$0.91) from Rs 50 (US$0.99) per kg.

India egg producers ordered to stop starvation-force molting

The Commissioner of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services for the Government of Tamil Nadu,  the second largest egg producing state in India, requested that the regional joint directors and district officers ensure egg producers comply with the Animal Welfare Board of India’s order to immediately discontinue starvation-force molting regimes.
In March, the Animal Welfare Board of India confirmed that starvation-force molting is a punishable offense under India's Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act of 1960 and ordered all egg production facilities to immediately discontinue the practice. 
“We are grateful to the Government of Tamil Nadu and we certainly expect that egg laying farms will comply with this order," said N.G. Jayasimha, manager of Humane Society International's factory farming campaign in India. “Egg producers who continue to starve birds to induce molt must be prosecuted under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act.”
HSI urges anyone with information about a farm inducing molting by starvation to email this confidential drop box: starvinghens@hsi.org.

Campaign in India to end starvation force molting on egg farms

Humane Society International has launched a confidential whistleblower program in India to allow concerned citizens to anonymously report the practice of starving hens to induce molting. The program was launched after the Animal Welfare Board of India directed all poultry farms in the country to immediately discontinue starvation force molt regimes, stating that the practice is in violation of India’s Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, and a punishable offence.
HSI says that starvation force molting, widely practiced in egg production facilities throughout India, deprives egg-laying hens of food for up to 14 days and may be combined with one or two days of water deprivation to rejuvenate their reproductive tracts and stimulate additional cycles of egg production.
It continues that during forced molts, hens suffer greatly and may lose up to 35% of their body weight. Additionally, the HSI says, starvation force molting dramatically increases the risk of hens laying Salmonella-infected eggs.
Manager of HSI’s factory farming campaign, N G Jayasmimha, said, “Once HSI receives a report about starvation molting on a particular farm, we will work with the state animal husbandry department, SPCA, the Animal Welfare Board of India and the state animal welfare board to investigate the matter.”

India establishing poultry hatcheries to boost state economy

The government of Jammu and Kashmir in India has made plans to establish 10 poultry hatcheries in the state to combat local unemployment, according to reports.
Under the plan, day-old chicks would be processed and provided to the poultry units, said Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi, Jammu and Kashmir's minister for sheep and animal husbandry. In conjunction with the poultry plan are blueprints for cattle- and sheep-rearing, which also have potential to boost the economy, according to Mehdi. So far, the government has initiated six different plans incorporating poultry, cattle and sheep in the hopes of involving more people in income-generating units.

India to increase egg production in 2011-2012

Namakkal, India, egg consumption over the last five years has grown by 6% or 7% annually.

The egg industry in Namakkal, India, is planning to increase its production by 10% during the 2011-2012 fiscal year, according to the country's National Egg Coordination Committee.
Product demand, particularly among the urban populace, is the primary reason for the growth. According to NECC Chairman P. Selvaraj, area egg consumption over the last five years has grown by 6% or 7% annually. Namakkal is already the second-largest egg producer of more than 30 zones mapped out by the committee.
As of March 2011, the Namakkal Zone had 45.9 million laying hens, with Namakkal itself accounting for 80% of the birds. Area expansion includes adding 4 million hens to the flock, with 3.8 million (95% of the total expansion) residing in Namakkal.

India domestic poultry business strong, country working to expand exports

India's domestic poultry market currently sits at $7.7 billion, but the country is looking to significantly increase its annual $110 million in exports.
According to Jagbir Singh Dhull, president of the Poultry Federation of India, outbreaks of bird flu in India since 2006 have caused trouble for exports. "Import bans due to bird flu do not allow us to derive cost advantage benefits from ample supplies of feedstocks," said Dhull. "Allowing foreign funds in retail will help poultry exports through development of modern processing units and cold chains."
Right now, India's domestic poultry industry is growing at a rate of 10% to 12% annually, while eggs are growing at 5% to 6%. India's Finance Minister, Pranab Mukherjee, said that the country is planning to liberalize investment rules to seek foreign funds to develop key sectors such as retail and infrastructure.

India Defense Ministry to double armed forces egg rations

India's Defense Ministry has decided to provide an extra egg per day to each person in its 1.3 million-person armed forces.
Troops had previously received one egg per day. "After implementation of this decision, the consumption of eggs (in armed forces) would double up," said Poultry Federation of India Treasurer Ricky Thaper. The move is expected to expand production and increase earnings for Indian farmers. "We hope the Defense Ministry decision will inspire others to enhance consumption of the cheapest source of protein," said Thaper.