New Zealand and India can partner with each other on technology and innovation in meat processing, said the New Zealand Trade Commissioner.
At the MEATTech conference organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry, Mr Gavin Young, Consul General and Trade Commissioner, New Zealand Trade and Enterprise, showcased some of New Zealand's meat processing technologies.
Processing plants in New Zealand are highly automated. For instance, flushing techniques are used to extend the shelf life of chilled meat so that it can be shipped instead of using air freight, which is expensive, said Mr Young.
Tracking of cattle and deer using RFID tags will soon be made mandatory in New Zealand. “This technology makes traceability easy. It also allows trace-back to the farms in the event of bio-security attacks.”
New Zealand has also adopted advanced border security systems to detect invasive pests and diseases, said the country's trade commissioner.
These are some of the broad areas where India and New Zealand can work together, said Mr Young.
According to Dr B. S. Prakash, Assistant Director General, Indian Council of Agricultural Research, the livestock sector in India is growing at 4-4.5 per cent annually. It contributes 30 per cent to the overall agricultural GDP. But challenges remain.
A major challenge in the Indian meat and poultry industry is the presence of a large unorganised sector – with unhygienic conditions, primitive slaughter practices and no scientific processing technologies, said Mr A. K. Srikanth, CEO, Alchemist Foods, which makes processed chicken products.
The production of meat in India (2010-11) is 6.5 million tonne, about 2.2 per cent of the world meat production.
Brand India for wholesome, hygienic and contamination-free meat must be created and popularised, urged Dr Prakash. The Ministry of Food Processing Industries is to invest Rs 241 crore on modern abattoirs.
The National Research Centre on Meat, Hyderabad, plans to collaborate with the Tamil Nadu Technology Development and Promotion Centre of the Confederation of Indian Industry to conduct training programmes for entrepreneurs in the sector.