The state of global protein industry around the world was analyzed at World Nutrition Forum, held by Biomin October 3-5 in Cape Town, South Africa.
Demand for meat can be expected to increase by a quarter over the coming years, and half this demand will be met by the poultry industry, noted Nan-Dirk Mulder, animal protein analyst with Rabobank International.
He continued that in developed markets, consumers are more interested in the provenance of their food and how it is produced, while in developing markets, increasing the volume of production remains the primary driver, although this may change with time.
It is in these developing markets, that demand is increasing most strongly. However, in many of these areas, there is a scarcity of natural resources and this may make animal protein production more subject to difficulties as volumes increase. Mulder continued that as the economies of the East grow, Asia, and particularly China, will be become ever more dependent on feed ingredients from outside the region.
In response to growing incomes in these emerging markets, poultry producing companies will start to invest outside their traditional geographic spheres of activity to take advantage of the opportunities that these growth areas offer.
He also noted that production will increasingly be shaped by social concerns, and that producers should not necessarily see these influences as threats, but rather they should embrace the opportunities they offer.