Event: ISRMAX India interviews

Two members of the International Aquafeed team, Alice Neal, associate editor, and Darren Parris, international marketing manager, traveled to Delhi, India, December 13-15, 2012 to attend the IAI Aquaculture.

Held on the site of the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, the event is just one part of the ISRMAX India trade show which covered the whole spectrum of food and feed production India.

Over 350 companies were on site exhibiting a host of products. We caught up with the other aquaculture exhibitors to discuss to the challenges and opportunities of the Indian market.

Lesaffre Feed Additives

Saurabh Singh, business development manager

What are the biggest challenges in the feed industry in India?

Nutrition, disease and water quality.

What are the most positive aspects of the Indian market?

It’s a growing market and consumption is increasing.  Before the majority of shrimp was exported but now farmers are getting better prices in India. It’s not rocket science: an increasing middle class want better protein sources.

Saurabh Singh, business development manager, Lesaffre Feed Additives at ISRMAX India

Jaeckering

Julia Lamskemper, head of sales for Mühlen- und Nährmittelwerke

India is a new market for Jaeckering. This event is a good test to find out the demand for our products.  A lot of people are very interested.

Julia Lamskemper, head of sales for Mühlen- und Nährmittelwerke, Jaeckering mans her stand at ISRMAX India

Lallemand

Sandip Ahirro, technical sales manager

What are the biggest challenges in the feed industry in India?

In terms of business, the problems are volatile prices. In particular, sudden increases in raw materials. For example in the last six months, the price of soya, wheat and fishmeal has suddenly shot up.

Looking ahead to 2013, power scarcity in the coastal provinces will affect all industries, not just aquaculture.  In the impact on aquaculture will result in reduced stocking densities.

What are the most positive aspects of the Indian market?

There is great growth potential in the domestic market. At the moment

95 percent of shrimp is exported which affects pricing, but the domestic market is much more stable.

In the future there is scope for improving ornamental fish culture.

Sandip Ahirro, technical sales manager, Lallemand and Darren Parris, International marketing manager, Perendale Publishers at ISRMAX India

Ge Pro

Ashish Kulshrestha, general manager, Asia Pacific

What are the biggest challenges in the feed industry in India?

Buying the land for aquaculture is a big problem.

What are the most positive aspects of the Indian market?

Although per capita of poultry and fish is small, the middle classes are looking for better food and there is an increased demand these foods.

Ashish Kulshrestha, general manager, Asia Pacific, Ge Pro right, with colleagues at ISRMAX India

Sultan Fish Seed Farm

Sultan Singh, managing director

Founded in 1983 by Sultan Singh, Sultan Fish Seed Farm started as a very small village farm and has since grown into a 27-acre farm and 15-hectare breeding farm and fish processing unit. Singh feeds his carp with a mixture of floating feeds, multiple breeding planktons and fishmeal sourced on site.

Singh describes the most exciting part of the job as the training facility where PhD students can study. At the moment, he has four people doing PhD work on his farm. In the past, the farm has provided training for nine people from Afghanistan.

For Singh the biggest challenge as a framer is to grow the maximum number of fish in the smallest amount of land. Exciting times lie in wait for the farm which will begin foreign exporting its frozen products to the USA, UK and Canada in 2013.

Sultan Singh, managing director, Sultan Fish Seed Farm, visits the International Aquafeed stand at ISRMAX India