PFI Annual Meeting in Kochi: Indian Poultry Industry Addresses Raw Material Inflation and Feed Innovation

The 37th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Poultry Federation of India (PFI) concluded on September 24, 2026, at the Grand Hyatt Kochi Bolgatty. Gathering over 800 delegates, including commercial poultry farmers, genetic breeders, feed millers, equipment manufacturers, and veterinary experts, the two-day summit established a strategic roadmap for one of India’s fastest-growing agricultural sub-sectors.

Against a backdrop of volatile maize prices, soy DOC (De-Oiled Cake) quality concerns, and rising global trade demands, the convention highlighted policy advocacy, feed technology advancements, and disease mitigation strategies.

Key Industry Drivers & Strategic Highlights

1. Raw Material Crises & Policy Advocacy

The rising cost of feed—which accounts for 65% to 70% of total poultry production costs in India—dominated the leadership panels.

• Maize & Soy Supply Chains: PFI leadership urged the Union Government to consider structural import duty relief and market interventions for feed-grade maize and soybean meal. With the rapid expansion of India’s ethanol blending program drawing significant maize supplies, feed millers face heightened input costs.

• GM Crop Import Liberalization: Industry representatives reiterated their appeal for the duty-free import of Genetically Modified (GM) corn and soybean meal to stabilize feed input prices and keep broiler and egg production economically viable for smallholder farmers.

2. Technological Innovation & Sustainable Feed (MoU with TERI)

A major milestone of the 37th AGM was the expansion of sustainable feed research partnerships. Building on strategic initiatives with research bodies like The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), delegates reviewed field trial progress on algae-based poultry feed formulations and alternative protein sources aimed at reducing reliance on traditional soy DOC.

3. Diagnostic Infrastructure & Biosecurity

To safeguard against seasonal disease outbreaks and maintain export-grade biosecurity standards, the PFI assembly evaluated the deployment of dedicated regional testing labs. This includes progress on the proposed central poultry feed analysis and pathogen diagnostic facility in Panipat, Haryana, designed to provide affordable feed testing and quick pathogen identification for member farmers.

4. Media & Misinformation Countermeasures

The AGM finalized the operational guidelines for a specialized PR & Media Strategy Committee. The initiative will proactively counter viral social media rumors regarding disease outbreaks and hormone usage, while educating urban consumers on the nutritional benefits of egg and poultry protein.

Market Context & Regional Outlook

The selection of Kochi, Kerala as the venue for the 37th AGM underscores Southern India’s role as a major hub for egg and broiler integration. Kerala and neighboring South Indian states account for a significant share of national egg production and cold-chain distribution networks.

Delegates emphasized that modernizing feed mills, adopting automated environment-controlled (EC) sheds, and expanding processing infrastructure will be critical to sustaining the Indian poultry sector’s projected 7–8% annual compound growth rate (CAGR) through 2030.