Driven by urbanisation, rising incomes and population growth, the global poultry sector is “growing at an unprecedented rate” and this has increased the need for processing machinery, according to India-based insight firm MarketsandMarkets.
It expects this niche area of the huge poultry equipment sector to grow by nearly 5% every year and hit $3.8bn in the next three years.
Poultry, particularly chicken, is seen as an important source of protein in the developing world and Anish Sukumaran, food, beverage and agriculture analyst at MarketsandMarkets, said selecting the right machinery is key for accelerating profits.
To cut, slice and dice
“Poultry meat processors must select correct and suitable equipment for processing in order to increase their market value,” he told GlobalMeatNews.
“Various processing methods that include killing and de-feathering, evisceration, cut-ups, deboning and skinning, marinating, dicing and tumbling are performed with the help of advanced poultry processing equipment.
“The countries in Asia-Pacific, such as China and India, are also the growing markets for processed poultry meat products. Recent developments in the infrastructure and supply chain networks have influenced the growth of this segment in these countries,” he added.
The Asia-Pacific region is expected to be the fastest-growing market within the next three years as demand for animal protein, especially convenience food, continues to rise and companies look to establish larger manufacturing sites here.
“Poultry products provide high-value protein and important sources of a wide range of essential minerals… Processed food serves the same purpose to the consumers, and with the busy schedule, processed food is the most preferred type of food,” added Sukumaran.
Internationally, some of the companies earmarked for a juicy cut of the poultry processing machinery market include Iceland-based Marel, which recently acquired Brazilian meat processing equipment firm Sulmaq.
US companies Key Technology, John Bean Technologies Corporation, CTB, Brower Equipment and Prime Equipment Group have also been tipped to make an impact.