Page 20 - Think Grain Think Feed - July 25

www.benisonmedia.com INTERVIEW We also increased regional recent engagement with Sri Sowing data is expected by

Think Grain Think Feed - Volume 11 | Issue 9 | July 2025

late August or early
Lanka has been built on
outreach by organizing
September, with harvest
mutual learning. While India
seminars in cities such as
figures available by
still largely operates in the
Coimbatore, Namakkal,
Pune, Kolkata, Patna, and
Kolhapur. These events, often leads in frozen and chilled
first time, our sector will have
meat processing.
held in underrepresented live-market space, Sri Lanka October–November. For the
independently validated
areas, directly connect us Interestingly, India also figures based on harvests
with farmers, manufacturers, imports significant quantities rather than sowing
and local stakeholders, of vitamins and minerals estimates. This initiative is
fostering dialogue on feed from Sri Lanka. Their supported by 14 associations
alternatives and sector government and industry and aims to facilitate data-
challenges. bodies have responded driven decision-making
In parallel, we partnered with positively, and we hope to What message would you
a PR agency to boost replicate this collaborative like to send through the
CLFMA's visibility in model with Bangladesh and upcoming annual CLFMA
mainstream media. We have Nepal under the SAARC symposium?
been quoted in Hindu framework. These Our theme this year is
Business Line, Financial partnerships are not just "Animal Agriculture: The Way
Express, Business Standard, about trade but about Forward." The goal is to
Indian Express, and even sharing knowledge and reposition livestock farming
interviewed on CNBC Awaaz. aligning standards for as an integral part of Indian
This enhanced media regional development. agriculture. With livestock
presence not only with Corn is one of the key feed now contributing about 31%
National media but also the ingredients. Would you to India's agri-GDP, it's time
local media, has helped build please share more about the sector receives the
credibility, attract new Digital Corn Production recognition and structured
members, and amplify our Survey? policy support it deserves.
voice in policy Corn production in India We also want to build
matters.Further, under this currently stands at 36 million momentum toward granting
media initiative, we recently metric tonnes (MMT), with agriculture status to the
launched a nationwide the feed industry consuming livestock sector. This would
protein awareness campaign around 26 MMT. The rising help lower production costs
aimed at educating the demand from the ethanol and formalize our sector's
public about the importance industry is adding pressure role in policymaking.
of adequate protein on corn availability. To meet
consumption, busting long- a 20% ethanol blending For the first time, the
standing myths around target, India would need 8–9 symposium will bring
animal protein, and MMT of corn. To ease the together stakeholders from
promoting evidence-based burden on the food and poultry, dairy, and
understanding of its role in livestock sectors, the aquaculture sectors on a
health and nutrition. The government has diverted unified platform, signaling a
campaign also positions 5–5.5 MMT of rice towards shared vision for the future.
CLFMA as a credible and ethanol production. With export successes—like
authoritative voice for all shipping one crore eggs to
To aid planning and policy, the U.S.—we've proven our
matters related to
we launched a Digital Corn capacity. Now, the focus is on
protein—be it breeding,
Production Survey on July 1, building cost
rearing, or
during the Kharif crop cycle. competitiveness and tapping
consumption—making us a
Covering 208–210 districts global markets, especially as
trusted resource for the
across India, the initiative input and feed costs
general public and
uses satellite imagery and fluctuate.
policymakers alike.
ground verification to
International collaboration is estimate actual production. This event is about shaping
another strategic focus. Our that path forward—together.
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