November 7, 2024

As Indian swine sector's industrialisation picks up, pig numbers remain low

India's pig population is just above nine million, according to the 2019 Indian Livestock Census.

The country's contribution to the total pig production in Asia is about 1% (China, on the other hand, contributes more than 80%).

For the past 15 years, the growth rate of the pig population in India has been on a downtrend. Previously, pig numbers were on the rise until 2000.

Some of the highest number of pigs is seen in Assam (2.10 million), followed by Jharkhand (1.28 million), Meghalaya (0.71 million), and West Bengal (0.54 million). The northeastern region of India houses about 40% of the domestic pig population.

At 79.03%, indigenous pigs form the cornerstone of India's pork production, followed by crossbreds and exotic germplasm.

In recent times, the pace of domestic pig farming has been evolving, becoming more technology-intensive. These changes are now more visible in the areas of industrial/ commercial farming, precision feeding, and herd management. Many technologies are developed in the Indian swine sector, with these mostly contributed by publicly funded institutions. Even then, the level of technology commercialisation and entrepreneurship development within the sector is still quite low.

Meanwhile, industrial pig farming is gaining momentum in India at a faster pace. As such, it is critical that substantial government support is available through subsidies, investments, and favorable policies for medium to large-scale industrial operations.

In the area of policies, these can be calibrated to ensure that smallholder farmers will not leave the business of pig production due to the increased consolidation of the pig farming industry. The emergence of private farms will be crucial in the consolidation of India's pig farming. However, the number of such farms, as well as semi-private types, remains low in most of India.

Within India's pig production sector, challenges lie in food safety, public health, effluent management, and pollution. Furthermore, the country faces an uphill task to reverse the decline of pig numbers through the application of science and technology.

- Dr. Dinesh Bhosale