Pune firm plans expansion as orders pour in from abroad

As bird flu rages in South-East Asia, inquiries from global markets are flooding the offices of the Venkateshwara Hatcheries Group. The Pune...

As bird flu rages in South-East Asia, inquiries from global markets are flooding the offices of the Venkateshwara Hatcheries Group. The Pune-headquartered company is now contemplating expansion in capacities.

‘‘We will firm up plans in a month,’’ said group chief Anuradha Desai. The ban on exports from Thailand has created a vacuum in the market and an opportunity for the Indian poultry industry, she said.

The group can process about 25,000 bird tonnes per day. To meet the demands of the market, the company would have to double the capacity or set up a processing unit dedicated for exports. ‘‘Strategically, it would be useful. It will give us an entry into this market,’’ Anuradha said.

The country’s total poultry exports are about Rs 380 crore but this year, she said, we can cross that mark with chicken meat alone. ‘‘West Asia, South Africa and the Caribbean are the big markets for Indian exports. We have also got calls from Japan,’’ Anuradha said. Two containers of breast meat are getting ready to go to Dubai.

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