THE Compound Livestock Feed Manufacturers Association on Friday raised concerns over a shortage of soybean meal, a key protein ingredient in animal feed, saying the supply crunch is driving up feed costs and putting pressure on the poultry, aquaculture and livestock sectors. Soybean meal prices have increased by over 40 per cent in recent weeks to around Rs 65-66 per kg, increasing the cost of feed production and impacting farmers across the animal protein value chain, the Compound Livestock Feed Manufacturers Association (CLFMA) said in a statement. “India’s poultry, aquaculture and livestock sectors are critical contributors to food security, rural livelihoods and exports.

 

A sustained shortage of soybean meal and escalating feed costs can adversely impact farm productivity and profitability across the value chain,” its Chairperson Divya Kumar Gulati said. As India sets its sights on becoming a global seafood export powerhouse, ensuring access to high-quality and affordable feed ingredients must become a national priority, she added. “We urge all stakeholders to work together towards a balanced, long-term solution that protects farmers’ interests while strengthening the country’s feed and animal agriculture ecosystem,” she added.

 

The concern is particularly acute for the aquaculture sector, where feed accounts for nearly 50-60 per cent of production costs, the statement said. As India continues to strengthen its position as a global seafood supplier, ensuring access to affordable, high-quality feed ingredients has become increasingly important, it added. To address this ongoing challenge, CLFMA has sought government intervention and recommended ensuring balanced availability of soybean meal for domestic feed manufacturing, promoting investments in soybean processing and value-chain infrastructure, among others. It also urged the facilitation of a stable and predictable policy environment that supports feed affordability and sectoral growth, and establishing mechanisms to monitor soybean meal availability and price volatility to prevent supply disruption.