Hyderabad: General Manager of Venkateshwara Hatcheries Pvt Ltd. Mr. K.G. Anand has been in the poultry industry for last 35 years. He had such passion for poultry that he can discuss about it with rapt attention for many hours. Going before in detail, first let us know about Mr. K.G. Anand and the story of his association with poultry industry. It was the year 1988 when Shri K.G. Anand had to take a flight to Visakhapatnam and he casually met with Poultry legend late Shri Banda Vasudev Rao. Needless to say, Late BV Rao’s name is highly respected in poultry fraternity as a legend and the great man was behind organizing poultry entrepreneurs and fabricating Poultry India as wonderful platform for the Industry. The meeting between Mr Anand and late BV Rao can be considered historical. In the very first meeting, Late BV Rao offered Mr. KG Anand to join Venkateshwara Industries. Both the personalities later again met at a farmers’ meeting. Shri KG Anand understood the caliber of Late shri BV Rao and in their 2nd meeting only, he decided to join Venkateshwara Hatcheries. This way Shri KG Anand entered in poultry industry in 1988 and have been contributing to serve this industry relentlessly.
Mr KG Anand graduated in Agricultural Science and done his MBA from prestigious IIM Ahmedabad. On his excellent educational qualification, he could have adopted any established industry in the year 1988, rather Shri Anand, combative by nature, chose the budding poultry industry and along with late B.V. Rao gave it a foothold. Shri KG Anand considers himself an integral part of the Venkateshwara Hatcheries family after 35 years of service and also shown great respect for late BV Rao. While discussing personally about BV Rao, the founder of Venkateshwara Hatcheries, Shri Anand says that late BV Rao never showed the status of being the owner of the company. Many times he used to call VG Anand’s house without his knowledge to inquire about well-being of family.
Three Eras in development of poultry industry
Industry expert KG Rao believes that there is immense potential for the development of poultry industry in India. While discussing the poultry industry, he explained its development by dividing it into three eras. The first was the period before 1988 when organized poultry production was negligible. That time backyard poultry farming was existent and hardly able to understand and fulfill needs of market. No innovative technology and information sharing platform availed to poultry stakeholders in this era.
Then next phase came after 1988 when Late Shri BV Rao and other visionary legends join and took the lead to take poultry industry move forward, With technological adoption, emphasis was also laid on integrated production in bulk quantities. This made the cost of poultry production drastically reduced.
According to Mr. KG Anand, the third phase of poultry industry begins after the Corona epidemic. When people understood how essential is eggs and chicken consumption for their health. This trend is still going on, even doctors and big celebrities are advocating poultry consumption to improve people’s health. After the Corona epidemic, the inclination of common people towards poultry has drastically increased.
What is the future of poultry industry in India?
Shri KG Anand said that even today in India, we are lagging behind to fulfil our own consumption market. In coming days, there seems to be immense export opportunity we will have. India can especially meet the poultry needs of countries in Middle East and Japan in future. In many other countries, people have to depend on poultry products packaged and processed months ago. India can provide availability to those countries fresh product through exports at lower transport costs and in lesser time. Shri KG Anand urged, Government policies will also have to adopt a cooperative attitude and need to explore poultry export avenues.
Customers want quality chicken products
Shri KG Anand believes that now customers are well aware. They want value added products rather than just eggs or chicken. The customer now looks carefully at color of eggs. There is a demand for Omega 3 or organic poultry products. For which big market is still open for the industry. In coming time, it is possible that government may ban open poultry slaughter. After which a large dimension of packaged and processed poultry products will be among us. However, the price will definitely increase in this process. Due to which farmers and entrepreneurs will definitely get better profits. Besides, quality customers will enjoy healthy poultry food.
How can poultry industry get a boost in India?
Remembering the legend B.V. Rao, KG Anand said that he had sensed the broiler market about three and a half decades ago. Now the chain system will have to be further strengthened according to poultry consumption and consumer demand. In which, along with the whole seller, the retailer will also get benefit and the customer will be availed poultry product at a cheaper rate. Now the time has come that big industries in poultry have to focus on value addition. Along with branding, this sector also needs huge government support to popularize poultry product.
Government should ensure availability of corn
When we discussed the policies of the government, KG Anand expressed his major concern for availability of Maize or corn, which is major ingredient in poultry feed. While maize production in India is 34 million tones, most of it is consumed in domestic poultry feed. Now government has decided to divert a large part of maize to ethanol production. Due to which a big problem has arisen for the poultry industry. Therefore, the government should take a decision on this subject keeping in mind the interests of the poultry industry in India.
