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Farm produce

Export animal and pet feed

Compound feed, prawn and fish feed, premixes and pet food. Free to export; the EU route for animal by-product feed needs CAPEXIL papers.

Free, with conditionsHS 2309
HS code
2309
Preparations used in animal feeding: dog and cat food for retail sale (2309 10), compound feed, concentrates, prawn and fish feed (2309 90).
Export policy
Free, with conditions
Free under Schedule 2. Feed made from animal by-products may go to the EU only with a consignment-wise Shipment Clearance Certificate from CAPEXIL and a health certificate issued jointly by CAPEXIL and the Regional Animal Quarantine Officer. Confirm the current conditions on DGFT.
Registrations
4
IEC, GST and those below
India’s exports, 2025-26
US$ 495 mn
to 128 countries

What is exported

India makes large volumes of poultry, cattle and aqua feed for its own market, and exports compound feed, prawn and fish feed, premixes and a growing amount of pet food. Neighbouring countries buy bagged feed by road and sea; pet food and treats go to the Gulf, South-East Asia and Western markets. Feed made with animal by-products is closely regulated by importing countries.

Varieties, grades and forms

  • Compound feed (poultry, cattle)Mash, crumbles and pellets in bags, mostly for neighbouring countries.
  • Shrimp and fish feedFloating and sinking pellets from aqua-feed mills.
  • Concentrates and premixesVitamin–mineral premixes and protein concentrates for feed makers.
  • Dog and cat food and treatsDry kibble, chews and treats, a growing export line.

Where it is grown or made

  • Andhra PradeshAqua-feed mills around Bhimavaram, Nellore and Visakhapatnam.
  • Gujarat and MaharashtraFeed and pet-food plants near Ahmedabad, Anand, Pune and Mumbai.
  • Punjab and HaryanaPoultry and cattle feed mills.
  • Tamil Nadu and TelanganaNamakkal poultry belt and Hyderabad feed industry.

Export packing

  • 25–50 kg laminated woven polypropylene bags for feed; retail bags and cartons for pet food, printed to the destination’s labelling rules.
  • Trucks to Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh; 20-ft or 40-ft dry containers by sea.

Who buys abroad

  • Feed distributors and poultry integrators in Nepal and Bangladesh
  • Shrimp farms and dealers in South and South-East Asia
  • Pet-food importers and private-label brands

The quality buyers ask for

Guaranteed analysis
Crude protein, fat, fibre, moisture and ash declared on the bag and met by lab results
Mycotoxins
Aflatoxin and other mycotoxins within the destination’s feed limits
Pellet quality
Size, durability and (for aqua feed) water stability and floatation
Indian standards
BIS standards exist for compound feeds (for example poultry and cattle feed); buyers may use their own

Certificates

  • RCMCRequiredRegistration with the export promotion council or board for your product (not needed up to ₹3 lakh FOB per consignment since 15 Sep 2026).
  • Animal Quarantine health certificateOften askedVeterinary certificate where the destination requires it; for by-product feed to the EU, issued jointly with CAPEXIL.
  • ISO 22000 / FSSC 22000Often askedFood-safety management system certification asked for by larger buyers.
  • GMP+ / FAMI-QSOften askedFeed-safety certifications asked for by European feed buyers.
  • US FDA food facility registrationOften askedRequired for any plant that makes, packs or holds food for the USA.
  • HalalOften askedAsked for by Gulf, Malaysian and Indonesian buyers.

Shipping, storage and shelf life

Container load

Bagged feed in 20-ft containers (typically about 20–25 tonnes) or trucks to neighbouring countries; pet food palletised in 40-ft containers.

How it travels

Road through land customs stations (Raxaul, Petrapole, Jaigaon) and sea from Kolkata, Visakhapatnam, Chennai and Mundra.

Storage

Dry, cool, pest-free storage off the floor; first-in, first-out.

Shelf life

Typically 3–6 months for compound and aqua feed; 12–18 months for dry pet food.

What goes on the pack and carton

  • Feed bags: product type and target animal, guaranteed analysis, ingredients, feeding directions, batch, manufacture and expiry dates, net weight and manufacturer.
  • Pet food for the EU and USA must follow their pet-food labelling rules (EU feed marketing rules; US FDA and state rules).
  • Every carton or bag: product, grade, lot or batch number, net and gross weight, exporter name and “Made in India” / “Product of India”, matching the invoice and packing list.
Where to get it tested

Use an FSSAI-notified or NABL-accredited laboratory with your product and tests in scope (fssai.gov.in → notified labs; nabl-india.org). APEDA-recognised labs are listed on apeda.gov.in.

Benefits of exporting this product

Where to register

  • CAPEXILRCMC for animal by-products, and the Shipment Clearance Certificate and joint health certificate needed for by-product feed going to the EU.capexil.org ↗
  • Animal Quarantine (DAHD)Veterinary health certificate from the Animal Quarantine and Certification Service where the importing country asks for one.dahd.gov.in ↗

Quality and checks

  • Aflatoxin and other mycotoxins, especially in feed made with maize, groundnut or cottonseed meal.
  • Guaranteed analysis on the bag (protein, fat, fibre, moisture, ash) matched by lab reports.
  • Pet food: plant registration or listing with the importing authority (for example the EU, USA and Gulf states each have their own rules).
How to start small

Start with bagged compound feed or prawn feed to Nepal, Bhutan or Bangladesh, where buyers know Indian brands, using a mill that already holds the importing country’s registration. Pet food needs plant approvals abroad first. Since 15 September 2026, a consignment worth up to ₹3 lakh FOB does not need an RCMC (DGFT Notification 36/2026-27). Registrations that a law requires for the product still apply.

Where new exporters go wrong

  • Aflatoxin above the importing country’s limit from poorly stored maize or groundnut meal.
  • Shipping by-product feed to the EU without the CAPEXIL certificates required by Schedule 2.
  • Short shelf life and caking in humid sea transit; feed needs moisture-proof bags.

Documents this product needs

Schemes that apply

Sources (5)
  1. DGFT — ITC(HS) export policy search (Schedule 2)
  2. CAPEXIL — official site (animal by-products and other products)
  3. Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying — animal quarantine and certification
  4. DGFT — Appendix 4R, RoDTEP schedule for DTA exports w.e.f. 10 Oct 2024 (Notification 32/2024-25)
  5. Department of Commerce — TradeStat export data by commodity and country

Trade data

Indian animal and pet feed exports in numbers

From the Department of Commerce’s TradeStat, country by country. US$, Indian financial years (April–March).

Exports in 2025-26
US$ 495 mn
+11.9% a year on average, 2020-21 to 2025-26
Change from 2024-25
↑ +18.1%
US$ 419 mn → US$ 495 mn
Buyer countries
128
Average export price
US$ 1.61
per kg · 3,07,058 tonnes shipped · US$ 1.66 the year before
Bangladesh: US$ 89.8 mnGermany: US$ 33.2 mnNepal: US$ 32.8 mnVietnam: US$ 31.1 mnUnited States of America: US$ 29.3 mnNorway: US$ 18.9 mnChile: US$ 18.7 mnSaudi Arabia: US$ 17.8 mnUnited Kingdom: US$ 16.5 mnSri Lanka: US$ 13.7 mnPhilippines: US$ 9 mnUnited Arab Emirates: US$ 8.5 mnNetherlands: US$ 8.1 mnBrazil: US$ 7.7 mnBhutan: US$ 7.4 mnOman: US$ 7.2 mnCanada: US$ 6.4 mnMalaysia: US$ 6.2 mnThailand: US$ 6 mnColombia: US$ 5.6 mnTaiwan: US$ 5.5 mnSingapore: US$ 5.2 mnMexico: US$ 5 mnPeru: US$ 4.8 mnBangladesh: US$ 89.8 mnBangladeshGermany: US$ 33.2 mnGermanyNepal: US$ 32.8 mnNepalVietnam: US$ 31.1 mnVietnamUnited States of America: US$ 29.3 mnUnited States of AmericaNorway: US$ 18.9 mnNorwayChile: US$ 18.7 mnSaudi Arabia: US$ 17.8 mnUnited Kingdom: US$ 16.5 mnSri Lanka: US$ 13.7 mnPhilippines: US$ 9 mnUnited Arab Emirates: US$ 8.5 mnNetherlands: US$ 8.1 mnBrazil: US$ 7.7 mnBhutan: US$ 7.4 mnOman: US$ 7.2 mnCanada: US$ 6.4 mnMalaysia: US$ 6.2 mnThailand: US$ 6 mnColombia: US$ 5.6 mnTaiwan: US$ 5.5 mnSingapore: US$ 5.2 mnMexico: US$ 5 mnPeru: US$ 4.8 mnIndia
Where Indian animal and pet feed goes — among our 80 countries, 2025-26
2020-21: US$ 283 mn2832020-212021-22: US$ 339 mn3392021-222022-23: US$ 332 mn3322022-232023-24: US$ 348 mn3482023-242024-25: US$ 419 mn4192024-252025-26: US$ 495 mn4952025-26
India’s animal and pet feed exports, year by year · US$ million

The price cycle

India’s average export price per kg each year (total value ÷ total quantity). Highest in 2021-22, lowest in 2025-26 — a 30% swing between them. Keep this swing in mind when you quote.

2020-21: US$ 1.96 per kg2021-22: US$ 2.10 per kg2.102022-23: US$ 1.91 per kg2024-25: US$ 1.66 per kg2025-26: US$ 1.61 per kg1.612020-212021-222022-232023-242024-252025-26
Average export price of Indian animal and pet feed · US$ per kg · dotted = year in between not available

What next: a projection from the trend

The past trend carried forward — not a forecast by any authority. Sudden changes in policy, prices or demand are not in it.

2020-21: US$ 283 mn2020-212021-22: US$ 339 mn2021-222022-23: US$ 332 mn2022-232023-24: US$ 348 mn2023-242024-25: US$ 419 mn2024-252025-26: US$ 495 mn2025-262026-27: US$ 514 mn (US$ 466 mn – US$ 567 mn)5142026-272027-28: US$ 568 mn (US$ 509 mn – US$ 634 mn)5682027-28
India’s animal and pet feed exports and projection · hollow bars = projection, line = likely range
By 2027-28: US$ 568 mn

Likely range US$ 509 mn to US$ 634 mn.

Trend
+10.5% a year
Fit (R²)
0.89
Based on
6 years of official figures

Method: a straight line through the logarithm of yearly exports (log-linear regression); range = ±1 standard error.

Biggest buyer countries

By value in 2025-26. Change is against 2024-25.

Name2025-26Change
1BangladeshUS$ 89.8 mn+19%
2GermanyUS$ 33.2 mn+63.2%
3NepalUS$ 32.8 mn-1.1%
4VietnamUS$ 31.1 mn+32.4%
5United States of AmericaUS$ 29.3 mn-5.1%
6MadagascarUS$ 19.6 mn+14.3%
7NorwayUS$ 18.9 mn-15.9%
8ChileUS$ 18.7 mn+61.7%
9Saudi ArabiaUS$ 17.8 mn+226.6%
10United KingdomUS$ 16.5 mn+19.9%
11Sri LankaUS$ 13.7 mn-6.9%
12PhilippinesUS$ 9 mn+2.6%

Where demand is rising and falling

Only countries that buy at least US$ 1 million or 1% of India’s exports of this product. Change from 2024-25 to 2025-26.

High demand

  1. Saudi ArabiaUS$ 5.5 mn → US$ 17.8 mn+226.6%
  2. SingaporeUS$ 2.7 mn → US$ 5.2 mn+88.6%
  3. CanadaUS$ 3.5 mn → US$ 6.4 mn+79.4%
  4. ColombiaUS$ 3.2 mn → US$ 5.6 mn+75.9%
  5. United Arab EmiratesUS$ 5 mn → US$ 8.5 mn+71.8%
  6. GermanyUS$ 20.4 mn → US$ 33.2 mn+63.2%
  7. ChileUS$ 11.5 mn → US$ 18.7 mn+61.7%
  8. MalaysiaUS$ 4.5 mn → US$ 6.2 mn+37.9%

Low demand

  1. RussiaUS$ 6.1 mn → US$ 2.6 mn-57.8%
  2. FranceUS$ 8.8 mn → US$ 4.2 mn-52%
  3. NorwayUS$ 22.5 mn → US$ 18.9 mn-15.9%
  4. OmanUS$ 8.1 mn → US$ 7.2 mn-11%

Which forms sell, and at what price

India’s exports by 8-digit tariff line, 2025-26. Average price = total value ÷ total quantity (TradeStat): the average of every shipment on that line, not the price of any one deal.

Tariff lineValue 2025-26ChangeQuantityAverage price
Other preparations of animal feeding2309 90 90 · Dog or cat food,, used in animal feedingUS$ 276 mn+15.9%1,45,748 tonnesUS$ 1.90 per kgwas US$ 1.85
Dog or cat food put up for retail sale2309 10 00 · Dog or cat food, put up for retail sale, used in animal feedingUS$ 80.6 mn+8.5%17,274 tonnesUS$ 4.66 per kgwas US$ 4.66
Dog or cat food,, used in animal feeding — compounded animal feed2309 90 10US$ 52.8 mn+12.2%80,465 tonnesUS$ 0.66 per kgwas US$ 0.70
Concentrated for compound animal feed2309 90 20 · Dog or cat food,, used in animal feedingUS$ 52.4 mn+33.5%23,738 tonnesUS$ 2.21 per kgwas US$ 2.27
Dog or cat food,, used in animal feeding — prawn and shrimps feed2309 90 31US$ 27.7 mn+102.3%30,944 tonnesUS$ 0.90 per kgwas US$ 0.91
Dog or cat food,, used in animal feeding — other peeds of fish2309 90 39US$ 4.9 mn-20.3%8,806 tonnesUS$ 0.55 per kgwas US$ 0.76
Fish meal in powdered form2309 90 32 · Dog or cat food,, used in animal feedingUS$ 260k+52.9%82 tonnesUS$ 3.16 per kgwas US$ 1.44

The world market

Each country’s own recorded exports and imports in UN Comtrade, 2023 (the latest year nearly every country has reported).

World imports
US$ 44.4 bn
2023
India among exporters
#23
of 145 countries
India’s share of world exports
0.7%
US$ 336 mn
Left for others to win
US$ 45.4 bn
exported by other countries

Top exporters — your competitors

  1. 1GermanyUS$ 5.35 bn 11.7%
  2. 2USAUS$ 4.67 bn 10.2%
  3. 3NetherlandsUS$ 4.67 bn 10.2%
  4. 4FranceUS$ 3.75 bn 8.2%
  5. 5ChinaUS$ 2.75 bn 6%
  6. 6ThailandUS$ 2.46 bn 5.4%
  7. 7PolandUS$ 2.42 bn 5.3%
  8. 8BelgiumUS$ 1.8 bn 3.9%
  9. 9SpainUS$ 1.29 bn 2.8%
  10. 10ItalyUS$ 1.29 bn 2.8%

Biggest buyers in the world

  1. 1GermanyUS$ 3.95 bn 8.9%
  2. 2USAUS$ 2.61 bn 5.9%
  3. 3United KingdomUS$ 2.19 bn 4.9%
  4. 4FranceUS$ 1.92 bn 4.3%
  5. 5PolandUS$ 1.9 bn 4.3%
  6. 6NetherlandsUS$ 1.88 bn 4.2%
  7. 7CanadaUS$ 1.73 bn 3.9%
  8. 8ItalyUS$ 1.49 bn 3.3%
  9. 9BelgiumUS$ 1.39 bn 3.1%
  10. 10JapanUS$ 1.15 bn 2.6%

Opportunity: what these countries buy from the world, and from India

Each country’s own recorded imports in UN Comtrade, latest year it has reported. The long light part of each bar is demand other countries are filling today.

GermanyUS$ 4.26 bnIndia 0.3% · gap US$ 4.25 bn
United States of AmericaUS$ 3.24 bnIndia 0.9% · gap US$ 3.21 bn
United KingdomUS$ 2.19 bnIndia 0.5% · gap US$ 2.18 bn
FranceUS$ 1.95 bnIndia 0.3% · gap US$ 1.95 bn
NetherlandsUS$ 1.82 bnIndia 0.2% · gap US$ 1.81 bn
CanadaUS$ 1.77 bnIndia 0% · gap US$ 1.77 bn
ItalyUS$ 1.52 bnIndia 0.1% · gap US$ 1.52 bn
JapanUS$ 1.21 bnIndia 0.1% · gap US$ 1.21 bn
SpainUS$ 1.12 bnIndia 0.2% · gap US$ 1.12 bn
ChinaUS$ 880 mnIndia 0% · gap US$ 880 mn

TradeStat’s 2023-24 quantities are double-counted, so that year is left out of the price. Sources: TradeStat — Export Import Data Bank, Department of Commerce · UN Comtrade database (United Nations Statistics Division) · Figures taken 29 October 2026.

Step by step

How to export animal and pet feed

India has one of the world’s largest feed industries because of its poultry, dairy and aquaculture sectors, but most output is used at home. Exports grow from proximity (Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka) and from India’s shrimp-farming know-how. Pet food is a young but growing export line, competing with Thai, Chinese and European makers. Success depends on consistent analysis, mycotoxin control and registrations in the buyer’s country.

  1. 01Pick product and market

    Match your feed type to a market whose registration you can get (neighbours first, regulated markets later).

  2. 02Register abroad

    Register the product or plant with the importing country’s feed authority where required.

  3. 03Control raw materials

    Test incoming maize, oil meals and fishmeal for aflatoxin and moisture.

  4. 04Produce, test and certify

    Make the batch, test it, and get the health certificate (and CAPEXIL papers for by-product feed to the EU).

  5. 05Book, stuff and file the shipping bill

    Book the container, stuff it at the factory or a CFS, file the shipping bill on ICEGATE with the correct 8-digit code and the RoDTEP/RoSCTL declaration, and get the bill of lading.

  6. 06Get paid and close the file

    Send the original documents through your bank (or to the buyer if paid in advance). Once the money arrives, get the e-BRC and claim RoDTEP, RoSCTL or drawback where they apply.

Meet buyers

Trade fairs

Questions

Questions about exporting animal and pet feed

Is animal feed free to export?
Yes, but feed made from animal by-products going to the EU needs CAPEXIL’s shipment clearance and a joint health certificate.
Which council issues the RCMC?
CAPEXIL for animal by-products; for other feeds use the council listed for your product in Appendix 2T, or FIEO.
What is the main quality risk?
Aflatoxin from mouldy maize or groundnut meal. Test every raw-material lot.
Can I export pet food to the USA?
Yes, if the plant is FDA-registered and the food meets FDA and state labelling and safety rules; some animal-origin ingredients also need USDA clearance.
What RoDTEP applies?
Prawn and fish feed lines earn 2.2% capped at ₹2.6 per kg; dog and cat food and compound feed 0.9%.
Sources (5)
  1. DGFT — ITC(HS) export policy search (Schedule 2)
  2. CAPEXIL — official site (animal by-products and other products)
  3. Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying — animal quarantine and certification
  4. DGFT — Appendix 4R, RoDTEP schedule for DTA exports w.e.f. 10 Oct 2024 (Notification 32/2024-25)
  5. NABL — laboratory search

Who buys Indian animal and pet feed

All countries →

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