In response to rising incomes and changing consumer preferences, significant market opportunities for high-value agricultural products such as meat have emerged in developing countries. Since 1960, global meat production has multiplied more than three times, and egg production nearly four times (Speedy 2003). The global demand for meat is predicted to rise by more than 55% between 1997 and 2020, with meat production reaching 455 million tons by 2050 (Alexandratos and Bruinsma 2012). Demand for poultry – primarily chicken which constitutes more than 90% of market value – is fuelled by similar economic factors (Ravindran 2013). The production of poultry meat worldwide increased from 9 million tons in 1960 to 105 million tons in 2012 (Speedy 2003; FAOSTAT 2012). On the supply side, several factors have contributed to the worldwide growth in poultry production: (i) genetic progress in poultry strains for meat and egg production; (ii) better understanding of nutrition fundamentals; and (iii) disease control(Ravindran 2013). Most of the increase in poultry production is taking place in developing countries, especially in Asia. This region now accounts for more than a quarter of current global poultry production. India is one of the largest poultry producing countries in Asia. From being largely a backyard venture before the 1960s, the Indian poultry sector has evolved into a vibrant agribusiness spurred by domestic economic growth and consumption dynamics. The share of poultry in domestic meat production has grown from 23% in 2004-05 to 51% in 2009-10 in the country. Poultry is low-cost for consumers, relative to other meat products, and has comparatively wider acceptability across regions and religions (Manning and Baines 2004). This is particularly important in India where the predominant Hindu religion largely limits consumption and Islam, that of pork. On the other hand, the share of the population that does not eat any meat because of religious beliefs, as opposed to an economic necessity, is small, as low as 10-20% (Land's et al. 2004). Furthermore, the growing middle class is more likely to disregard traditional taboos and religious bias against non-vegetarianism (Rattanani 2006). The increased availability and affordability of poultry meat and eggs for both rural and urban poor is contributing to improved nutrition and poverty reduction (Pica-Ciamarra and Otte 2010). The poultry industry in India also offers domestic employment opportunities. Furthermore, as one of largest emerging economies, the Indian poultry market has wide-ranging implications for global poultry production and trade – both in terms of the sheer size of its national market and its rapid structural growth. Availability of low-priced, high-quality feeds–a major ingredient of which is domestically-produced maize was and remains critical for domestic poultry production to remain competitive and meet surging consumer demand. This has limited the prospects for traditional poultry exporters such as the United States and Brazil to break into the Indian market. Furthermore, India is expanding its poultry exports to regions such as the Middle East, further threatening the export markets of traditional suppliers of poultry products. Based on an extensive literature review of secondary literature, this paper reviews the Indian poultry revolution: (i) describing the exceptional growth of India’s poultry industry, the structural developments and the underlying reasons; (ii) assessing its implications for the global poultry trade; and (iii) assessing the implications to sustain it, particularly in terms of feed market development and the environment.

In response to rising incomes and changing consumer preferences, significant market opportunities for high-value agricultural products such as meat have emerged in developing countries. Since 1960, global meat production has multiplied more than three times, and egg production nearly four times (Speedy 2003). The global demand for meat is predicted to rise by more than 55% between 1997 and 2020, with meat production reaching 455 million tons by 2050 (Alexandratos and Bruinsma 2012). Demand for poultry – primarily chicken which constitutes more than 90% of market value – is fuelled by similar economic factors (Ravindran 2013). The production of poultry meat worldwide increased from 9 million tons in 1960 to 105 million tons in 2012 (Speedy 2003; FAOSTAT 2012). On the supply side, several factors have contributed to the worldwide growth in poultry production: (i) genetic progress in poultry strains for meat and egg production; (ii) better understanding of nutrition fundamentals; and (iii) disease control(Ravindran 2013). Most of the increase in poultry production is taking place in developing countries, especially in Asia. This region now accounts for more than a quarter of current global poultry production. India is one of the largest poultry producing countries in Asia. From being largely a backyard venture before the 1960s, the Indian poultry sector has evolved into a vibrant agribusiness spurred by domestic economic growth and consumption dynamics. The share of poultry in domestic meat production has grown from 23% in 2004-05 to 51% in 2009-10 in the country. Poultry is low-cost for consumers, relative to other meat products, and has comparatively wider acceptability across regions and religions (Manning and Baines 2004). This is particularly important in India where the predominant Hindu religion largely limits consumption and Islam, that of pork. On the other hand, the share of the population that does not eat any meat because of religious beliefs, as opposed to an economic necessity, is small, as low as 10-20% (Land's et al. 2004). Furthermore, the growing middle class is more likely to disregard traditional taboos and religious bias against non-vegetarianism (Rattanani 2006). The increased availability and affordability of poultry meat and eggs for both rural and urban poor is contributing to improved nutrition and poverty reduction (Pica-Ciamarra and Otte 2010). The poultry industry in India also offers domestic employment opportunities. Furthermore, as one of largest emerging economies, the Indian poultry market has wide-ranging implications for global poultry production and trade – both in terms of the sheer size of its national market and its rapid structural growth. Availability of low-priced, high-quality feeds–a major ingredient of which is domestically-produced maize was and remains critical for domestic poultry production to remain competitive and meet surging consumer demand. This has limited the prospects for traditional poultry exporters such as the United States and Brazil to break into the Indian market. Furthermore, India is expanding its poultry exports to regions such as the Middle East, further threatening the export markets of traditional suppliers of poultry products. Based on an extensive literature review of secondary literature, this paper reviews the Indian poultry revolution: (i) describing the exceptional growth of India’s poultry industry, the structural developments and the underlying reasons; (ii) assessing its implications for the global poultry trade; and (iii) assessing the implications to sustain it, particularly in terms of feed market development and the environment.