The sudden eruption of a crisis in the Gulf region due to the US-Iran war has come as a bolt from the blue for the Indian poultry industry. The fact that exports to the United Arab Emirates this year have shot up to $93 million, which is more than three times the exports ($24 million) registered in the same period last year, shows why the industry is concerned.
In the first nine months of fiscal 2025-26, exports nearly doubled over last year, with shipments touching a record $237 million, up from $119 million a year ago, as per the Directorate General of Commercial Intelligence and Statistics (DGCIS) data.
No impact on overall growth
However, the export component is very small relative to the industry’s overall size ($30 billion). The sector witnessed an annual growth of 7-8 per cent. Thus, conflict in the Gulf region is unlikely to affect the overall growth of the country’s poultry industry.
The industry is keeping a close watch on emerging developments in the region, even as the bulk of egg and egg product shipments have been completed ahead of the start of the crucial Ramadan season.
In the West Asian markets of the UAE, Oman, and Saudi Arabia, Indian poultry exporters compete with their counterparts from Iran and Turkey, which have a price advantage over the Indian suppliers due to their proximity and lower production costs.
“We are keeping a close eye on the supply chains of competing origins like Iran and Turkey, which also supply a major chunk of poultry products to the West Asian region,” Valsan Parameswaran, secretary of the All India Poultry Exporters Association, said.
Fresh demand likely
Volatile situation in West Asia unlikely to hit India’s poultry product exports, as the domestic. Any disruption in poultry supplies from Iran and Turkey may trigger fresh demand for Indian eggs and egg products. The declining trend in domestic egg prices with the onset of summer will make the Indian product competitive in the West Asian market, Parameswaran said.
While it expresses concern about the likely short-term disruptions, the industry sees a silver lining because Oman, a key export market for the country, is relatively not much affected.
“It, actually, can be a good opportunity for us because exports from Brazil could witness disruption, helping the country fill the resultant vacuum,” Srinivas Chitturi, Managing Director of Srinivasa Farms, said.
Published on March 2, 2026