Our Bureau

Kolkata , Nov 8

JAPFA Comfeed India Ltd (JCIL) — a joint venture between the $ 1.5-billion Japfa Comfeed International Pte, Singapore (JCI) and Adijaya Guna Satwatama, Indonesia — plans to make India its export hub.

With operations in about 10 countries in the South-East Asia and Asia Pacific, JCI also plans to roll out several branded poultry products in the country in the near future.

The JCIL Managing Director, Mr Peter Chin, told a press conference that coupled with the huge potential for domestic consumption, India could also be a source for raw material. "Indian market is comparable to that in Brazil and the long-term objective is to export chicken meat and other processed products from India," he said.

The company sought large-scale operations in the country and was even keen to explore contract farming for raw materials.

It has invested Rs 75 crore to set up a feed plant near Pune in 1999 and the New Lohmann grandparents farm at Aurangabad in Maharashtra; and acquire a parent stock farm, hatchery and a feed mill at Hyderabad, and a feed mill at Haldia in West Bengal.

It plans to further invest Rs 150 crore to create facilities for chicken meat processing and manufacture of value-added products, grandparent farming and so on in the next few years.

Having covered South, West and East, the company now plans to set up facilities near Delhi to cover the north Indian market.

Also on cards is the addition of a breeding farm and chicken meat processing plant at the newly created Haldia feed plant.

A breeding farm was also likely at Siliguri in North Bengal.

Asked about the introduction of other meat products, he said the company was a major producer of protein products and would like to explore the market for these. On the prospects for dairy business, he said though India was the largest milk producer in the world, the industry was dominated by cooperatives and small farmers.

This had led to absence of standardisation in productivity and quality. Also consumption patterns varied.

However, he conceded thatthe country offered excellent opportunities for dairy business.

Retailing

JCIL plans to enter the market through the traditional `pop and mom stores'.

"The supermarkets coming up in increasing numbers are so far restricted to the big cities and hence offer limited opportunity for large-scale operations," Mr Chin said, adding that the company would also explore marketing opportunities in the hospitality, healthcare and other sectors.

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