Hong Kong opens poultry market for India

Orders strict quality adherence on avian influenza, exporters see opportunity

Hong Kong has announced the opening of its market for Indian chicken and eggs two months after Kuwait lifted a ban on import of poultry products from the country.

This opens up a big opportunity for Indian exporters. The Hong Kong market for poultry products is worth $2 billion. Even if Indian exporters capture 10 per cent this in 2016-17, India's export of poultry products will triple to $300 million from $106 million in 2014-15.

Many countries had banned imports of poultry products from India following the outbreak of avian influenza in a number of epicentres in 2012. While Saudi Arabia opened its market in 2014, Kuwait and Hong Kong opened theirs this year following quality assurances from the government.

"Opening up of the Hong Kong market is a good development for India as large players with compartmentalised risk mitigation facilities, especially for avian influenza, can initiate shipments of poultry," said UK Vats, deputy general manager in charge of poultry products at the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (Apeda).

The directorate of food of Hong Kong, has, however, allowed import of eggs, egg powder, liquid and yolk from India with strict quality conditions. Consignments of eggs must be produced and packed in avian influenza-free areas and transported in new or sanitised material. Consignments must also be accompanied by health certificates.

Exporters are advised to follow the guidelines when exporting egg products to Hong Kong, failing which they face a fine of HK $50,000 or prosecution.

A recent report by the department of animal husbandry and dairying lists 25 avian influenza outbreaks in the country in nine years, resulting in the culling of 7.25 million birds. The government has paid out compensation of Rs 24.32 crore since the first outbreak was reported in February 2006 in Maharashtra.

In October 2015, Kuwait allowed import of Indian poultry products with strict conditions and told exporters from India to follow health procedures laid down by the World Organisation of Animal Health. Saudi Arabia, India's largest destination for poultry products, opened its market in 2014.

"We produce world-class products and want to expand our global footprint. We have urged the government to mark zones for poultry in India to avoid the implication of an avian influenza outbreak in one area on others," said Balram Yadav, managing director, Godrej Agrovet, one of India's largest branded poultry producers.

According to a recent Rabobank report, India is the second largest egg and third largest broiler chicken producer in the world, producing 65,000 million eggs and 3.8 million tonnes of poultry meat a year. India's poultry market is estimated to be worth Rs 90,000 crore and per capita consumption is on the rise.