P. V. V. S. Murty ¹, Mahtab S. Bamji ¹, M. Vishnuvardhan Rao ², V. L. K. Prasad ³

Affiliations
1 Dangoria Charitable Trust, Hyderabad, IN
2 National Institute of Nutrition, Hyderabad, IN
3 Department of Livestock Production and Management, ANGR Agricultural University, Hyderabad, IN

Abstract

There is high prevalence of protein calorie malnutrition and micronutrient deficiencies in India, particularly in growing children and women. This is understandable since cereal-based Indian diets are qualitatively deficient in micronutrients due to low intake of vegetables, fruits, pulses and foods of livestock origin. Apart from micronutrients, livestock-based foods are good source of high quality protein. Amongst foods of livestock origin, poultry egg is most promising in terms of cost benefit ratio. While the consumption of animal meat in India has declined between 1985 and 2003 that of poultry meat and eggs has increased. This is possible due to tremendous increase in commercial poultry farms. Price of poultry has shown little rise from 1996-2006 due to increased competition, and organised marketing of poultry products simultaneous with remarkable improvements in genetics, nutrition, disease management and housing of birds.

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