Indias Egg and Chicken Meat Industries

Federation of Indian Animal Protection Organisations

People for Animals

I. Introduction The purpose of this report is to provide an overview of the industries that control the lives of billions of chickens. Such knowledge is critical to improve the conditions of farmed animals and promoting more humane diets. The ensuing statistics, trends, and industry information are presented with the intention of anticipating challenges and identifying opportunities to diminish the suffering of chickens in India. II. Industry Background Number and conditions of animals affected In 2008, more than 2. billion chickens were slaughtered for their meat and 2!2.2 million hens were raised for eggs in India.1 "ccording to #overnment of India $#%I& statistics the "ndhra 'radesh region had the highest poultry population in year 200( ) 200 followed by Tamil *adu, +aharashtra, and 'un,ab. 2 In India, -.0 to 200 million egg/laying hens are confined to barren, wire battery cages !,. so restrictive they cannot even spread their wings. 0ach bird has less living space than an ". sheet of paper. 1ith no opportunity to e2perience most natural behaviours, such as nesting, dust bathing, perching and foraging, these birds endure lives wrought with suffering. ( 3illions of broiler chickens also e2perience crowded confinement, unnatural lighting regimes, poor air 4uality, stressful handling during transportation, and inade4uate stunning and slaughter procedures. 3roiler chickens are selectively bred for rapid growth and thus prone to a variety of skeletal and metabolic disorders that can cause suffering, pain, and death. 3roiler breeders, the parent stock of chickens raised for meat, are sub,ected to severe feed restriction, and males may undergo painful toe and beak amputations, mutilations performed without pain relief. See the 5umane Society of the 6nited States $5S6S& reports on the welfare of animals in the poultry industry for more detailed information on the abuses suffered by egg laying hens and broiler chickens on factory farms. ,7 The "nimal 1elfare 3oard of India $"13I&, a statutory body under the "nimal 1elfare 8ivision $"18&, advises the government on animal welfare issues. 8 "13I is also responsible for inspecting slaughterhouses, regulating the transport of animals to slaughterhouses, advising animal husbandry departments on best practices, and inspecting factory farms and commercial ventures in the agribusiness industry. The body has the power to make new regulations.9 5owever, it has apparently not yet made any effort to inspect or regulate layer or broiler factory farms, and has been focused largely on companion animals and wildlife, as well as animals used in e2periments and entertainment. 1ith respect to farmed animals, most efforts have been focused on the transport and slaughter of dairy animals, and little attention has been paid to the transport and slaughter of chickens, which remains mostly unregulated-0. The 'revention of :ruelty to "nimals $':"& "ct, -9 0, for India aims to prevent unnecessary pain and suffering to animals. The ':" "ct specifically forbids the keeping or confinement of ;any animals in any cage or receptacle which does not measure sufficiently in height, length and breadth to permit the animal a reasonable opportunity for movement.<-The "18 $under the +inistry of 0nvironment and =orests& implements the provisions of the ':" "ct,-2 but has not utili>ed this provision to ban the use of battery cages in egg production. The animal protection community should lobby this agency to implement this aspect of the ':" "ct. The "nimal 'rotection "gencies must lobby with the government to formulate rules under the ':" regarding minimum space re4uirement per bird, a development which has been achieved in other countries. ?ecently enacted legislation in two "merican States, :alifornia and +ichigan re4uires that all animals have enough space

to sit, stand, lie down, and turn around without touching the walls@bars of an enclosure or another animal. The 0uropean 6nion has enacted a ban on barren battery cages for egg laying hens, effective in 20-2.

Structure of the Industry %ver the past .0 years, Indian egg and chicken meat production has evolved from being a homestead activity augmenting the income of rural farmers into a commercial industry controlled by a few large corporations. Supporting infrastructure includes -0,000 veterinary pharmaceutical companies, -!0 feed mills, and several education and research institutes. Indian manufacturing companies produce sufficient 4uantities of rearing and breeding e4uipment to satisfy the needs of the poultry sector. ;"ll nationali>ed commercial banks in the country provide credit facilities to invest in commercial poultry ventures<, and ;ApBoultry insurance is available to cover abnormal risk of mortality<.-! "ny significant policy changes that challenge the egg and meat production industry may also be met by resistance by these allied institutions. The ma,ority of eggs and chicken meat in India come from industrial facilities, as opposed to rural homesteads.14 1hile the number of commercial birds ) bred for intensive indoor production ) increased by more than nine percent between -997 and 200!, the number of traditional free/range birds increased by less than two percent.15 The poultry sector has grown from a backyard activity into a ma,or commercial activity in four and half decades, but the backyard poultry sector of rural India makes up (2C $200!& of the total fowl population and .2 C of ducks. This sector contributes 2!C $200(/0 & of the total eggs produced. There has been a significant change in the ownership and si>e of backyard poultry within the last decade and it declined by 7C between -99- and 200!.16 :ommercial varieties of birds consist of either smaller birds bred to produce large 4uantities of eggs over an -8/22 month period, or larger birds genetically selected for fast growth, allowing them to be slaughtered for meat within eight weeks.1 The former are egg laying hens, and the latter are broilers. 0gg laying hens do not produce high 4uality meat, though they are sold cheaply for meat when their egg production begins to decline at the end of -8/22 monthsD1! as males of these breeds have no commercial value, they are killed at birth. 1" 3roilers are not generally used for egg production, e2cept for the purpose of breeding. :ommercial egg laying hens and broiler meat chickens are bred in one of the countryEs 00 commercial or government hatcheries. 2# "pparently, animal welfare regulations are lacking in both government and commercial hatcheries, and in most production facilities. In addition to working with the government on the development and enforcement of animal welfare standards, as mentioned above, animal protection organi>ations need to work with private certifying agencies to develop basic standards for farm animal care, including cage/free housing, that encompass the following principles developed by the 6nited Fingdom =arm "nimal 1elfare :ouncil 2-G -. =reedom from 5unger and Thirst / by ready access to fresh water and a diet to maintain full health and vigour. 2. =reedom from 8iscomfort / by providing an appropriate environment including shelter and a comfortable resting area. !. =reedom from 'ain, In,ury or 8isease / by prevention or rapid diagnosis and treatment. .. =reedom to 02press *ormal 3ehaviour / by providing sufficient space, proper facilities and company of the animalHs own kind. (. =reedom from =ear and 8istress / by ensuring conditions and treatment which avoid mental suffering. 5umane =arm "nimal :are, a private certifier in the 6nited States employing the ;:ertified 5umane< label 22, and the ?oyal Society for the 'revention of :ruelty to "nimals in the 6nited Fingdom which offers the ;=reedom =ood< label,2! audit egg, meat, and milk production facilities, giving consumers some assurance that

products with a ;:ertified 5umane< or ;=reedom =oods< label comply with basic standards for farm animal care. The scheme also allows producers employing higher standards for farm animal care to receive a premium for their products, creating a financial incentive for improving the treatment of animals. 2.

Contract Farming/Integrated Production "lthough a ma,or proportion of poultry eggs and meat is still produced on independent farms, vertical integration and contract growing have become very popular in the southern and western regions of the country for broiler production.2( 'oultry integrators have been e2panding most rapidly in southern India, particularly in the :oimbatore district of Tamil *adu, reportedly has a large integration, which now accounts for about 7(C of production and consumption. Integrations have also recently become more prevalent in western India, including 'une, *ashik, and +umbai, where they now account for about !(C of production and consumption. Smaller, independent and partially integrated producers control poultry production in eastern and northern regions. "rambag hatchery, Folkota is a ma,or integrator operating in the eastern region of the country. The ma,or integrators and contract growers operating in the southern and western region of the country include Ienkateswara, Suguna, 'ioneer, 8iamond ?iverdale, Star chick, #old chick, #odre, real gold, #odre, agro vet, Santhi, 'eninsula, Skylark and Fomarla. Some of these integrators are also selling their processed chicken products in brand names like Ienkateswara with brand name Ienky, #odre,/?ealgold, Jifeline/ Tenderchicken,*utri/=reshchicken, and Skylark/*utririch. 6nder a production contract, the integrators supply ma,or inputs like day/old chicks, feed, veterinary care, pharmaceuticals and biological and technical services. They are also responsible for the disposal of live broilers. Integrators bear all the input and output price risk and share the production risk with the broiler producer. 5owever, the grower does not share any benefits from increasing output prices, although they supply the labour, infrastructure and management skills needed for production. They receive a growing fee per bird based on performance such as =:?, harvest recovery and average live weight. They get additional remuneration on superior performance standards set in the contract. If the performance is below standard, a corresponding amount per bird is subtracted from the contract fee. 2 "s many of these companies prescribe production practices in addition to providing key inputs, there may be an opportunity to improve the welfare of a large number of animals by working with a single company to adopt cage/free housing for egg laying hens, or lower stocking densities in broiler sheds. :onversely, many small farmer groups have spoken out against the corporate control of egg and chicken meat production in India. :ontract farming throughout India lacks a legal framework or any credible contract enforcement mechanism, leaving independent producers vulnerable to financial losses resulting from contractual breaches on the part of the larger company. 27,28 Such groups could be potential allies in a campaign against large poultry companies and the industrial farm animal production practices they espouse. 0ven integrators are confined to local markets, one reason is the high cost of moving live birds across long distances $above 200 km&. 'oor road conditions, lack of refrigerated transport@cold storage infrastructure, and weak distribution networks in rural areas means that the rural population $over 70C of IndiaEs total population& is not reached by commercial producers. =urthermore, most consumers prefer meat from live birds and lack interest in processed or chilled meat.29 The regional focus of egg and chicken meat markets may offer some opportunity for small farmers, using less intensive, free/range husbandry practices, to compete with more damaging industrial egg and meat production facilities. Feeding the Animals The poultry industry is highly dependent on the feed industryD feed alone constitutes 70C of the cost of chicken meat and egg production. "bout (0C of IndiaEs mai>e goes into poultry feed, and industry leaders believe that the current growth rate of the poultry industry cannot be sustained without increasing the production of mai>e.!0

Jand and resources for growing animal feed would be better used to produce grains for IndiaEs food/insecure households. #lobally, as much as 80C of the global soybean crop and a significant portion of the annual corn crop in the 6S are fed to cattle, pigs, chickens, and other animals used in agriculture. !- The use of grain for animal feed is an e2tremely inefficient use of food. Typically, ! kg $ . lb& of grain is needed to produce ,ust kg $2.2 lb& of meat.!2 'rotein conversion inefficiencies compiled by 'rofessor Iaclav Smil in the =aculty of 0nvironment at the 6niversity of +anitoba clearly show that depending on animal products for protein is not the most efficient use of resources. "ccording to his research, chickens fed a diet of corn and soybeans can only utili>e 20C of the protein present in those grains, meaning that 80C is simply wasted. +ost of the energy farm animals consume from grains and other sources of food is used for metabolic processes or for forming bones, cartilage, and other non/edible parts $offal&, as well as faeces. !! 1ater, another scarce agricultural resource, is also wasted in meat and egg production. "ccording to the International 1ater +anagement Institute and the Stockholm International 1ater Institute, an average of m !@kg of water is re4uired to produce - kg $2.2 lb& of chicken, whereas 0../! m!@kg of water is needed to produce - kg $2.2 lb& of cereals. !. Impacts on $n%ironment and &uman &ealt' Industrial egg and meat production pollutes the water, air, and soil. It harms wildlife habitat and contributes significantly to the global climate crisis.!( " typical egg production facility in India houses (0,000 birds. ! ?ows of cages are stacked on top of each other in filthy sheds that often reek of ammonia. 1hile broiler chickens are not confined in cages, they still spend their entire lives indoors, crowded into sheds by the tens of thousands. The crowded, stressful, and unsanitary conditions in commercial poultry facilities are ripe for the development of infectious diseases.!7 1hile there is a clear lack of research on the environmental and human impacts of industrial farm animal production in India, evidence from other parts of the world strongly suggests that these facilities are dangerously stressing human communities and natural systems. 5ouseholds that consume eggs and meat from factory farms also face health risks. Standard industry practices, including the intensive confinement in crowded battery cages, stress hens and compromise their immune systems. They become more susceptible to infections, which can be passed on to humans via eggs and meat. "ntibiotics used in industrial egg and broiler chicken farming have led to the emergence of resistant strains of Salmonella, Listeria, and E.coli.!8 The 6nited *ations =ood K "griculture %rgani>ation $="%& identifies factory farming as a serious threat to the environment and public health.(" The "merican 'ublic 5ealth "ssociation has called for a moratorium on the construction of new industrial farm animal facilities in the 6nited States. 4# See the 5S6S reports on the environmental and public health conse4uences of factory farming for more information 4142 The single most effective weapon against factory farming is the reduction in consumer demand for eggs and chicken meat. The growing demand for animal products is simply not sustainable, given the increased pressures on agricultural land in India. +iddle and upper class urban consumers need to be educated about the impact of meat and egg consumption on animals, the environment, and human health. #overnment agencies such as the *ational Institute for *utrition, civil society groups, and educational institutions need to be engaged in disseminating information about the benefits of plant/based diets. Contribution to the Economy: The poultry sector employs more than three million people .!. In the year 2002 0ighty percent of employment in the poultry sector is generated directly by poultry producers, while 20C is from feed, pharmaceuticals, e4uipment, and other services re4uired by poultry producers "nimal protection advocates campaigning against the poultry industry must be prepared to counter arguments over the importance of this sector particularly to poor households and the Indian economy as a whole. In the year 200 the poultry sector contributed appro2imately 8 billion 6.S. dollars to IndiaEs #ross *ational 'roduct... 1hile the ma,ority of eggs and poultry meat produced in India are consumed within the country, there are no restrictions on e2ports of poultry and poultry products. .( 'oultry e2ports were !.2 billion rupees $L( million@ 6.S.M7-. million& in the financial year ending +arch 200 , up from -.(. billion rupees in 200.@0(.. 02port markets are e2pected to e2pand further as international subsidies on agricultural products are

phased out by the 1orld Trade %rgani>ation $1T%& agreements. This will make the 4uality and cost of eggs and poultry meat

more competitive on the international stage and ;the Indian poultry sector is e2pected to capture a significant share of the e2port market currently dominated by the 6nited States, 3ra>il, *etherlands and Thailand<. .7 The agreement on Technical 3arriers to Trade $T3T& allows 1T% members to apply standards $both mandatory and voluntary& for protection of human health or safety, animal or plant health, or the environment. .8 "nimal protection organi>ations must also make their voice heard within the #overnment of IndiaEs 8epartment of :ommerce, to ensure that IndiaEs bilateral and multilateral trade agreements include animal welfare provisions. Homestead Production: The poultry sector has grown from a backyard activity into a ma,or commercial activity in four and half decades, but the backyard poultry sector of rural India still makes up (2C $200!& of the total fowl population and .2 C of ducks. This sector contributes 2!C $200(/0 & of the total eggs produced .9, the development sector is aggressively promoting poultry as a means of improving the livelihoods of marginali>ed people. This is reflected both in the priorities of development *on #overnment %rganisations $*#%Es& as well as government programs for poverty alleviation. The #overnment of IndiaEs -- th =ive/Near 'lan places importance on the development of homestead poultry production.(0 The definition of homestead poultry production, also known as backyard poultry, varies amongst users. The South "sia 'ro/'oor Jivestock 'olicy 'rogram $a ,oint venture of the ="% and the *ational 8airy 3oard& defines ;backyard poultry< in the following wayG ;Traditional poultry keeping usually by women of poor, marginali>ed house holds AsicB on semi scavenging system as a source of nutrition and supplementary income. 6sually small flock of - to-0 8esi@improved birds are kept in their backyards or farms.<(5owever, it is notable that several rural development programs have been known to promote raring sheds si>es of !00 / .00 birds(2. '?"8"* is one of many *#%s promoting broiler chicken meat farming as a livelihood for marginali>ed communities in India. 6nder '?"8"*Es programme, Self/5elp #roup $S5#& members are provided with hands/on training in poultry farming at e2isting facilities. The S5# provides financial assistance for a !00 bird unit. 0ach S5# member rears 7 to 8 batches in a year which can yield between 9,000 to - ,000 Indian ?upees per year. It is promoted as a part/time e2ercise. The S5# members form a cooperative to provide services within the village, including procurement of all supplies, collection and transport of birds, marketing, and veterinary services. 0ach cooperative employs a manager and a veterinarian. '?"8"* cooperatives also produce their own feed and are currently establishing hatcheries. (! The 8epartment of "nimal 5usbandry, 8airying K =isheries $8"58=&, housed within the +inistry of "griculture, plays a key role in promoting homestead chicken production. Individual state governments have their own 8"58=s, with authority over agricultural policy within their states. The national/level 8"58=Es role is to supplement the efforts of the state governments in the development of animal agriculture. (. In the case of poultry, 8"58= provides financial support to the state governments primarily through two programsG the "ssistance to State 'oultry =arms program and the :entral 'oultry 8evelopment %rganisations $:'8%s& program.(( -& The "ssistance to State 'oultry =arms program works to improve the efficiency of hatching, brooding and rearing of the birds, develop feed mills, and strengthen 4uality monitoring and in/house disease diagnostic facilitiesD all of these improvements are geared towards increasing profitability, not the welfare of the animals. 6nder the --th =ive/Near 'lan an allocation of -(0 crore Indian ?upees have been provided for this scheme, which is geared at small/scale producers. 2& The four :'8%s are based in 3angalore, 3hubaneswar, :handigarh, and +umbai. They meet the following needs in their respective regionsG

 Jow/input technology poultry stock are bred and supplied to all states of the region for their rural poultry development programmes. Species such as duck, 4uail, turkey, and guinea fowl have been introduced to boost the poultry sector. =eed 4uality monitoring. Training programmes on animal husbandry and marketing are provided for farmers, women beneficiaries, public and private sector poultry producers, *#%s, and cooperatives. Training programmes are geared towards profit ma2imi>ation for individual farmers, and not focused on animal welfare. The traditional breeds of birds used in homestead chicken production have stronger immune systems than birds used on factory farms. These birds are typically used for both eggs and meat. They do not grow as large or as 4uickly as commercial breeds because they e2pend more energy on immunity than growth. They also begin laying eggs at a later age and produce fewer eggs per year than commercial breeds. ( =rom an animal welfare perspective, homestead poultry production is arguably preferable to industrial poultry production systems. 'oultry industry publication has e2pressed the view that regardless of the number of government schemes implemented for homestead producers, small units not connected to larger marketing organisations for broiler chickens or layers would find it difficult to survive. (7 Therefore, it is likely that homestead producers will be encouraged to intensify their practices $for both layers and broiler chickens& particularly in regions where large poultry companies are looking for contract farming opportunities. Such intensification will significantly impair animal welfare. The animal protection community needs to work with the rural development community to raise awareness about the negative implications that intensive production holds for human welfare in addition to animal welfare. 8"58= must also be lobbied to incorporate higher animal welfare standards into government homestead poultry promotion programs. Successful campaigns against industrial farm animal production in *orth "merica and 0urope have involved rural development groups, environmental organi>ations, and health professionals, in addition to animal protection groups. 8iverse coalitions also need to be formed in India in order to successfully combat industrial animal production on the subcontinent. The Indian :ouncil on "gricultural ?esearch $I:"?&, housed within the +inistry of "griculture, coordinates and monitors poultry production related research initiatives through the :entral "vian ?esearch Institute. The issue of animal welfare has started to enter the discourse within the government sponsored poultry research community.(8 "nimal welfare organi>ations will need to engage with I:"? to ensure that animal welfare is progressively mainstreamed in their research and in any policies emerging from their work. The *ational Institute of "nimal 1elfare $*I"1&, established to impart training and education in animal welfare and veterinary science, presently does not offer any training specific to farmed animal welfare. (9 They need to be engaged in the process of improving animal welfare standards in the poultry industry. III. $gg )aying &ens Industry Statistics: India is the !rd largest producer of eggs in the world $. .-7 billion eggs 200(/0 & and the growth rate for egg production was C between -980 and 2000. "ndhra 'radesh is the leading state for in egg production followed by Tamil *adu, 'un,ab, +aharastra and 1est 3engal, which together produce 7-C of the total. 0 The ma,ority of the eggs are consumed domestically. India e2ports shell eggs to the 'ersian #ulf and egg powder to the 0uropean 6nion and Oapan, as well as large 4uantities of hatching eggs to 3angladesh, Singapore, +aldives, 6nited "rab 0mirates, and Saudi "rabia. 2

Figure 1* +'e num,er of eggs produced in India ,et-een 1" 2 and 2## increased ,y appro.imately 4 times.

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Figure 2* +'e num,er of eggs produced in India ,et-een 1" 2 and 2## increased ,y more t'an fi%e times.64 Egg Consumption: 0gg consumption in India has increased dramatically over the past !0 years $=igure !&. The overall increase is being driven, not by a greater number of individuals who are eating eggs, but by higher individual consumption urban population , ( with 7(C of eggs being consumed in urban areas. 'er capita consumption is significantly determined by average capita income, 7 'er capita consumption of eggs in India is rising fast in regions where urbani>ation and rapid income growth are taking place.

Figure (* +'e num,er of eggs consumed -it'in India tripled ,et-een 1" ( and 2##(. 6! " study published by the "nthropological Survey of India in -99. found that older people were more likely to be vegetarian $eggs are not part of an Indian vegetarian diet&. ;The age structure of the Indian population indicates a large potential market for poultry in the years to come,< as !0C of the recorded population in 2000 were between the ages of -0 and 2.. 9 #iven the e2isting high population density and land scarcity within India, a growing demand can only be met by industrial egg production facilities that severely compromise animal welfare, as well as degrade the environment and ,eopardi>e human health. The egg industry has also started to advertise heavily. "ccording to the :ompound =eed Jivestock +anufacturersE "ssociation $:J=+"&, branded, packaged, and labelled eggs are becoming very popular with consumers.70 %rganisations like the *ational 0gg :oordination :ommittee conduct intensive promotion campaigns to increase egg consumption.7Jabels such as ;vegetarian eggs72<, ;bacteria/free<7! are commonly seen on egg packages in supermarkets. These labels are currently unregulated. There may be some opportunity to challenge these labels by filing a complaint under the "dvertising Standards :ouncil of India or alerting :onsumer 0ducation K ?esearch :entre. Industry advertising can also be countered by consumer education on the part of animal protection organi>ations. 5umane Society International $5SI& has an on/going publicity campaign educating consumers about battery cage egg production. 5SI also works with leaders in the food retail industry, encouraging them to adopt cage/free egg procurement policies. In addition, 5SI works directly with egg producers, introducing them to commercial scale cage/free housing systems for egg laying hens. I/. B0OI)$01 Industry Statistics IndiaEs broiler industry produced 2.2 million tonnes of chicken meat in 2007 7., and boasts an annual growth rate of -2C. India is among the top five chicken meat producing countries in the world. 7( 3etween -972 and 2007, the number of broiler chickens in Indian agriculture increased by more than 200 million 7 $see =igure .&. The si2 leading broiler integrators are the Suguna 'oultry =arm Jimited, the 'ioneer 'oultry #roup, Ienkateshwara 5atcheries 'rivate Jimited, #odre, "grovet Jimited, the Skylark #roup, and a ,oint venture of Oapfa :omfeed International 'te Jtd of Singapore.77 +ost of the poultry meat produced is consumed domestically with a very small proportion being e2ported to the 'ersian #ulf.78

Figure 4* 2'icken meat production 'as increased dramatically o%er t'e past (# years. It more t'an dou,led ,et-een 1"!6 and 2###3 and again ,et-een 2### and 2## . " "ndhra 'radesh, Farnataka, Ferala, and Tamil *adu account for about 0C of IndiaEs broiler chicken farming, and *amakkal, a district in Tamil *adu, accounts for more than !0C. 80 Slaughter and processing 4inety5eig't percent of slaug'ter is handled by wholesalers, small retail shops, or individual households. 1holesalers process $de/feather, gut, behead& 2(/!(C of total chicken meat consumed, while most of the rest is done in retail shops or by the consumers, which may be due to consumer preferences for live birds and the lack of cold storage facilities to market chilled or fro>en products. !1 The sanitary or welfare regulations for this process is typically not enforced. 'oor sanitary standards are common in IndiaEs poultry shops, and these chickens are housed in filthy conditions which breed germs and infection. 8espite local health regulations for licensing and inspection of slaughter facilities, effective enforcement of these regulations is lacking !2. Jitigation may be re4uired to bring about ade4uate enforcement of e2isting laws. In addition to litigation, enforcement of e2isting laws will depend upon vigilant civil society groups. There are serious human health concerns with live bird markets, as detailed in the 5S6S report on live bird markets.8! :onsumers do not regard this as a health risk because they believe that the Indian style of cooking kills bacteria.8. 1ithin the shops, chickens are confined in cages, and often lack ade4uate feed and water during the day of sale@slaughter. The open and routine confinement and slaughter of these animals in public spaces desensiti>es people to the suffering of chickens. The locali>ed and unorgani>ed nature of live markets makes regulation and enforcement of animal welfare laws in these settings challenging. "nimal welfare advocates wishing to take on this challenge will likely face opposition from shop owners. The potentially violent opposition may be similar to that which animal advocates face when trying to shut down or reform illegal cow slaughterhouses. ;:hilled meat is more acceptable to consumers than fro>en meat, and growth in consumption of chilled meat may help facilitate the transition toward a fro>en bird market.< :urrently consumers believe that fresh meat tastes better, and also that fro>en meat may be spoiled, particularly given the irregular electricity supply across the country, and the lack of confidence regarding the date of free>ing. ;+ost of the poultry integrators in southern, western, and eastern India are already marketing dressed and chilled products and have plans to e2pand sales< to hotels, restaurants, and fast/food establishments. 8( The modern poultry processing sector consists of -0/-2 firms. :ombined, they process around -2,000 tons of poultry annually. The mechani>ed plants use imported e4uipment, and are located near urban areas including

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+umbai, :alcutta, 5yderabad, 3angalore, and :oimbatore. Their main customers are large restaurant chains such as +c8onalds. They also e2port products to the +iddle 0ast. They are currently trying to receive certification for e2port to the 6nited States. 8 The poultry industry has also started to advertise heavily to change consumer perceptions by stressing hygiene and convenience.87 International organi>ations such as the 6.S. #rains :ouncil $6S#:& are also assisting IndiaEs growing commercial poultry processing industry with their strategic consumer marketing efforts, as a growing poultry sector would provide a lucrative market for animal feed from the 6nited States. 88 Institutional consumers, such as hotels, restaurants, and fast food establishments, will continue to e2pand chilled and fro>en meat procurement. "lso, integrators are now establishing a retail presence in e2isting shops and supermarkets as well as through their own shops. The growth in chicken meat consumption, regardless of whether the meat is sold through live markets or in the form of fro>en meat, can only lead to further industriali>ation of the sector, resulting in greater suffering for animals and further environmental degradation.

roiler Chic!en Consumption The amount of chicken meat consumed in India has increased rapidly over the last decade. "lthough currently well below developing and developed country averages, levels of consumption are e2pected to rise in the years to come.89

Figure 5* 2'icken meat consumption almost tripled ,et-een 1""( and 2##(3 and continues to rise."# :hicken consumption is higher in urban areas than in rural areas, where both average incomes and the number of high/income consumers are the greatest. 6rban consumers in the highest income 4uintile consume more than four times as much chicken meat as the urban consumers in the lowest income 4uintile. :hicken meat is e2pected to rise in both urban and rural areas in the ne2t decades. 9- "s with eggs, this growth will be driven by increased urbani>ation, westerni>ation of dietary choices, and choices of Indian people, a growing population of young people who are more likely to re,ect the vegetarian traditions of the older generations. 92 It is up to the animal protection community to once again mainstream values of humane eating and position the campaign against industrial animal agriculture or factory farming, within the modern environmental and social ,ustice movements in India.

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=ood and "griculture %rgani>ation of the 6nited *ations. 2009 httpG@@faostat.fao.org. "ccessed Ouly 20, 20-0. #overnment of India, +inistry of "griculture, 8epartment of "nimal 5usbandry K 8airying. 200 . 3asic "nimal 5usbandry Statistics p. !! ?ahman, S."., 1alker, J., ?icketts, 1., 200(. #lobal perspectives on animal welfareG "sia, the =ar 0ast and %ceania.?evue Scientifi4ue et Techni4ue de lE%ffice International des 0pi>ooties 2., (97) -2. . =ood and "griculture %rgani>ation of the 6nited *ations. 2007 httpG@@faostat.fao.org. "ccessed "pril -, 20-0. ( Indian Standard ISG7(-8 /-97. The 5umane Society of the 6nited States 200 "n 5S6S ?eportG The 1elfare of "nimals in the 0gg Industry. www.hsus.org@farm@resources@research@welfare@eggPindustry.html "ccesses 20 Ouly20-0 7 The 5umane Society of the 6nited States. 2008. "n 5S6S ?eportG The 1elfare of "nimals in the :hicken Industry. www.hsus.org@farm@resources@research@welfare@broilerPindustry.html. 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"nnual ?eport, p. 2(. -( 8epartment of "nimal 5usbandry, 8airying and =isheries. 200 . 3asic "nimal 5usbandry Statistics, p.8="%, 'oultry Sector ?eview ) India Iersion of -st 8ecember 2008 -7 Tamil *adu "gricultural 6niversity. 2008. agritech.tnau.ac.in@animalPhusbandry@aniPchikPbreedsC20of C20chicken.html. "ccessed =ebruary 2!, 20-0. -8 Fnowles T#. -99.. 5andling and transport of spent hens. 1orldEs 'oultry Science Oournal (0$-&G 0/-. -9 +etheringham O. 2000. 8isposal of day/old chicksQthe way forward. 1orld 'oultry - $--&G2(, 27. 20 3alakrishnan I. 200.. 8evelopments in the Indian feed and poultry industry and formulation of rations based on local resources. InG 'rotein sources for the animal feed industry. ="% 02pert :onsultation and 1orkshop, 3angkok, Thailand, 29 "pril/! +ay 2002 $?ome, ItalyG =ood and "griculture %rgani>ation of the 6nited *ations, pp. 2-(/2.&. 2=arm "nimal 1elfare :ouncil. 2009. =ive =reedoms. httpG@@www.fawc.org.uk@freedoms.htm. "ccessed +ay --, 20-0. 22 5umane =arm "nimal :are. 20-0. :ertified 5umane. certifiedhumane.org. "ccessed Ouly 20, 20-0. 2! The ?oyal Society for the 'revention of :ruelty to "nimals. =reedom =ood. rspca.org.uk@freedomfood. "ccessed Ouly 20, 20-0 2. "ttitudes of consumers towards the welfare of farmed animals 1ave 2, 2007 httpG@@ec.europa.eu@food@animal@welfare@survey@spPbarometerPfaPen.pdf "ccesses 20 Ouly 20-0 2( ?amaswami, 3harat., 3irthal ,'. S. and '.F. Ooshi $200(& 0fficiency and distribution in :ontract =armingG The case of Indian 'oultry growers $httpG@@www.isid.ac.in@Rplanning@workingpapers@dp0(/ 0-.pdf& 2 =airo>e +ohamed *adeem, "choth Jalith, F.F. 'rasanna ?ashmi, Tiongeo +arites +., 8elgado :hristopher J., *arrod :lare and :hengappa 'adin,aranda #. $200 &. :ontract =arming of +ilk and 'oultry in India 'ro,ect. 04uitable Intensification of +arket %riented Smallholder 'oultry 'roduction in India through :ontract =arming. 27 The Telegraph. 2007. 'oultry forum takes wing. +ay !. www.telegraphindia.com@-070(0!@asp@northeast@storyP772.8! .asp. - Oune 20-0 28 "li, +. 2007. =armers up the ante against contract farming in Fashmir. #reater Fashmir, +ay -(. 29 The :ompound =eed +anufacturers "ssociation $:J=+"& of India. 200(. Jivestock Industry ?eport, pp. -(/ . !0 +ehta ? and *ambiar ?#. 2008. The poultry industry in India. InG 'oultry in the 2-st centuryG "vian influen>a and beyond, International 'oultry :onference, 3angkok, *ovember 2007. $?ome, ItalyG =ood and "griculture %rgani>ation of the 6nited *ations, pp. -/ -&. !*ierenberg 8. 200(. 5appier +ealsG ?ethinking the #lobal +eat Industry $1ashington, 8:G 1orldwatch Institute, p.2!. !2 *elleman :, +ac8evette +, +anders T, et al.,6nited *ations 0nvironment 'rogramme. 2009. The environmental food crisis ) The environmentEs role in averting future food crises, p.2 . !! Smil, I. 2002. 1orldwide transformation of diets, burdens of meat production and opportunities for novel food proteins. 0n>yme and +icrobial Technology !0G!0(/--. !. Stockholm International 1ater Institute and International 1ater +anagement Institute. 200.. 1ater ) +ore *utrition 'er 8rop, p.2-. !( Jivestock, 0nvironment and 8evelopment. 200 . JivestockEs long shadowG environmental issues and options. ! ?attanani O. 200 . India to see tremendous changes. 1orld 'oultry 22$ &G-0/2.

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#reger +. 2007. The 5uman@"nimal InterfaceG 0mergence and ?esurgence of Soonotic Infectious 8iseases. :ritical ?eviews in +icrobiology !!G2.!/99. !8 8elgado :, ?osegrant +, Steinfeld 5, 0hui S and :ourbois :. -999. Jivestock to 2020G The *e2t =ood ?evolution. $1ashington, 8:G International =ood 'olicy ?esearch Institute&. !9 Jivestock, 0nvironment and 8evelopment. 200 . JivestockEs long shadowG environmental issues and options. .0 "merican 'ublic 5ealth "ssociation. 200!. 'recautionary +oratorium on *ew :oncentrated "nimal =eed %perations. www.apha.org/advocacy/policy/policysearch/default.htm?id=1243. Accessed April 29, 2010. .0nvironmentG httpG@@www.hsus.org@farm@resources@research@enviro@industrialPanimalPagPenvironment.html .2 'ublic 5ealthG httpG@@www.hsus.org@farm@resources@research@enviro@factoryPfarmingPinPamerica.html .! ="%, 'oultry Sector ?eview ) India Iersion of -st 8ecember 2008 p -7 .. ?attanani O. 200 . India to see tremendous changes. 1orld 'oultry 22$ &G-0/2. .( Singh S, 6S8" =oreign "gricultural Service #"I* ?eport. 200 . India 'oultry and 'roducts "nnual 200 , p.7. . Fumar ' and *air +, ?abobank report. 2007. :hallenges and opportunities in the Indian animal protein sector, p.2. .7 3alakrishnan I. 200.. 8evelopments in the Indian feed and poultry industry and formulation of rations based on local resources. InG 'rotein Sources for the "nimal =eed IndustryG 02pert :onsultation and 1orkshop 3angkok, 29 "pril / ! +ay 2002 $?ome, ItalyG =ood and "griculture %rgani>ation of the 6nited *ations, pp. 2-(/2.&. .8 +ehta ?, *ambiar ?#, and ?ay S. 200(. 1T% and 'oultry Industry in India. South "sian Oournal *o. 9, Ouly/September. www.southasianmedia.net@+aga>ine@Oournal@9/wtoPpoultryPindustryPIndia.htm. .9 ="%, 'oultry Sector ?eview ) India Iersion of -st 8ecember 2008 p -8 (0 #overnment of India. 20-0. 'oultry 8evelopment. india.gov.in/sectors/agriculture/poultry_development.php. Accessed March 30, 2010. (South "sia 'ro/'oor Jivestock 'olicy 'rogramme. 3ackyard 'oultry. www.sapplpp.org@glossary@inde2Phtml@glossaryPb. "ccessed "pril 29, 20-0.
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PRADAN http://www.pradan.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4 &!temid="4

'rofessional "ssistance for 8evelopment "ction $'?"8"*&.'?"8"*Es 'oultry Intervention for Jivelihood "ugmentation in Tribal "reas. (. 8epartment of "nimal 5usbandry, 8airying and =isheries. 2007/8. "nnual ?eport. (( 8epartment of "nimal 5usbandry, 8airying and =isheries. 2007/8. "nnual ?eport. ( South "sia 'ro/'oor Jivestock 'olicy 'rogramme. 2009. :onserving indigenous poultry breeds / 3lack 5aringhata and "seel in 1est 3engal. "ccessed +arch !0, 20-0. (7 ?attanani O. 200 . India to see tremendous changes. 1orld 'oultry 22$ &G-0/2. (8 Sasidhar 'IF $ed.&. 200 . 'oultry ?esearch 'riorities to 2020G 'roceedings of *ational Seminar $*ovember 2/!&. $I>atnagar, IndiaG :entral "vian ?esearch Institute&. (9 *ational Institute of "nimal 1elfare. 20-0envfor.nic.in@divisions@awd@niawPtrg.pdf. 0 ="%, 'oultry Sector ?eview ) India Iersion of -st 8ecember 2008 p 8 =ood and "griculture %rgani>ation of the 6nited *ations. 200!. 'ro,ect on Jivestock Industriali>ation, Trade and Social/ 5ealth/0nvironment Impacts in 8eveloping :ountries $section 2.!&. www.fao.org@1"I?8%:S@J0"8@2 -70e@2 -70e09.htm. "ccessed +arch !0, 20-0. 2 +ehta ? and *ambiar ?#. 2008. The poultry industry in India. InG 'oultry in the 2-st centuryG "vian influen>a and beyond, International 'oultry :onference, 3angkok, *ovember 2007. $?ome, ItalyG =ood and "griculture %rgani>ation of the 6nited *ations, pp. -/ -&. ! =ood and "griculture %rgani>ation of the 6nited *ations. httpG@@faostat.fao.org. "ccessed "pril -, 20-0. . =ood and "griculture %rgani>ation of the 6nited *ations. httpG@@faostat.fao.org. "ccessed "pril -, 20-0. ( +ohanty S and ?a,endran F. 200!. 2020 Iision for Indian 'oultry Industry. International Oournal of 'oultry Science 2$2&G-!9/.!. ?avikumar, F. 200 . 'oultry farming in India and its future prospects. =ood K 3everage *ews, *ovember -8. www.fnbnews.com@article@detarchive.aspTarticleidU-9!!-KsectionidU!2. "ccessed +arch !0, 20-0. 7 :ranfield, O. ". J., 5ertel, T. 1., 0ales, O. S. K 'reckel, '.I. $-998& :hanges in the structure of global food demand. "m. O. "gric. 0con. 80G -0.2)-0(0. 8 =ood and "griculture %rgani>ation of the 6nited *ations. httpG@@faostat.fao.org. "ccessed "pril -, 20-0. $ 9 Jandes +, 'ersaud S, and 8yck O, comp. 6nited States 8epartment of "griculture, "griculture and Trade ?eports. 200.. IndiaEs 'oultry SectorG 8evelopment and 'rospects $1?S/0./0!&, p.(. 70 ?attanani O. 200 . India to see tremendous changes. 1orld 'oultry 22$ &G-0/2. 7*ational 0gg :oordination :ommittee. The 3eginning. httpG@@e2necc.com@necc/beginning.htmlVob,ective. "ccessed "pril 29, 20-0. 72 *erve 2007, *ow H-00 percentH vegetarian eggs httpG@@www.nerve.in@newsG2(!(00--9..! "ccessed 20 Ouly 20-0 7! *utraingredients, 2007 httpG@@www.nutraingredients.com@Industry@3eauty/eggs/give/glimpse/to/pretty/future "ccessed 20 Ouly 20-0

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=ood and "griculture %rgani>ation of the 6nited *ations. httpG@@faostat.fao.org. "ccessed "pril -, 20-0. 8epartment of "nimal 5usbandry, 8airying and =isheries. 2007/8. "nnual ?eport, p.2(. 7 =ood and "griculture %rgani>ation of the 6nited *ations. httpG@@faostat.fao.org. "ccessed "pril -, 20-0. 77 ?attanani O. 200 . India to see tremendous changes. 1orld 'oultry 22$ &G-0/2. 78 ?attanani O. 200 . India to see tremendous changes. 1orld 'oultry 22$ &G-0/2. 79 =ood and "griculture %rgani>ation of the 6nited *ations. httpG@@faostat.fao.org. "ccessed "pril -, 20-0. 80 +ehta ? and *ambiar ?#. 2008. The poultry industry in India. InG 'oultry in the 2-st centuryG "vian influen>a and beyond, International 'oultry :onference, 3angkok, *ovember 2007. $?ome, ItalyG =ood and "griculture %rgani>ation of the 6nited *ations, pp. -/ -&. 8Jandes +, 'ersaud S, and 8yck O, comp. 6nited States 8epartment of "griculture, "griculture and Trade ?eports. 200.. IndiaEs 'oultry SectorG 8evelopment and 'rospects $1?S/0./0!&, p.-9. 82 Jandes +, 'ersaud S, and 8yck O, comp. 6nited States 8epartment of "griculture, "griculture and Trade ?eports. 200.. IndiaEs 'oultry SectorG 8evelopment and 'rospects $1?S/0./0!&, p.-9. 8! 5S6S ?eportG 5uman 5ealth Implications of 6.S. Jive 3ird +arkets and "vian Influen>a. httpG@@www.humanesociety.org@assets@pdfs@farm@5S6S/5uman/5ealth/?eport/on/6/S/Jive/3ird/+arkets/and/"vian/ Influen>a.pdf 8. Jandes +, 'ersaud S, and 8yck O, comp. 6nited States 8epartment of "griculture, "griculture and Trade ?eports. 200.. IndiaEs 'oultry SectorG 8evelopment and 'rospects $1?S/0./0!&, p.-8. 8( Jandes +, 'ersaud S, and 8yck O, comp. 6nited States 8epartment of "griculture, "griculture and Trade ?eports. 200.. IndiaEs 'oultry SectorG 8evelopment and 'rospects $1?S/0./0!&, p.-9. 8 Jandes +, 'ersaud S, and 8yck O, comp. 6nited States 8epartment of "griculture, "griculture and Trade ?eports. 200.. IndiaEs 'oultry SectorG 8evelopment and 'rospects $1?S/0./0!&, p.-9. 87 ?attanani O. 200 . India to see tremendous changes. 1orld 'oultry 22$ &G-0/2. 88 #reateneds. 2008. 6S grain sector profits from growth in India. www.greateneds.com@news@us/grain/sector/profits/from/ growth/in/india/id-(((.html. "ccessed "pril !0, 20-0. 89 ?attanani O. 200 . India to see tremendous changes. 1orld 'oultry 22$ &G-0/2. 90 =ood and "griculture %rgani>ation of the 6nited *ations. httpG@@faostat.fao.org. "ccessed "pril -, 20-0. 9+ohanty S and ?a,endran F. 200!. 2020 Iision for Indian 'oultry Industry. International Oournal of 'oultry Science 2$2&G-!9/.!. 92 ?attanani O. 200 . India to see tremendous changes. 1orld 'oultry 22$ &G-0/2.