An Exclusive Interview with Poultry TRENDS magazine, Mr. Akshay Dhumal, Managing Director, Dhumal Industries shares why adoption of Environmentally Controlled ( EC) houses is a must for the industry and how this changes production levels and increases efficiency.

Excerpts of the interview is as under:

Q. How do you see the trend of environmentally controlled sheds in India?

There is widespread awareness about EC Houses all across India now. Majority of the Breeders are upgrading to Environment Control.

The medium & large farmers will plan their own farms where along with enhanced bird performance they will also get better uniformity & biosecurity. These kinds of houses are also very well suited for processing.

Q. The initial investment for EC sheds is high, how do companies like yours help producers move towards EC houses?

It’s a myth that Initial Investment in EC Sheds is high with changing modern poultry scenario and land cost. The two most important parameters about rearing a bird in EC and Farming generally as well is the volume of birds one can grow & the initial investment in terms of COST PER BIRD. Both of these parameters are only viable in EC and modern farming, the cost per bird is well justified in terms of the ROI and enhanced bird performance that we achieve in these kinds of houses.

Dhumal Industries is the only company in India and among few in the world that has developed technical expertise in structures as well as the equipment inside which enables our team to design & execute complex EC houses end to end. Our integrated approach means we can integrate the structure and housing equipment in such a way that it optimises bird performance, improves bio-security, and helps the producers transition towards EC Houses in an efficient & effective way.

The work that companies like us have put in over the years have ensured that the Initial Investment in EC Sheds is kept to an optimal and the farmers reap the benefits in terms of a faster payback on their investment.

Q. Is it possible to design an EC house according to the budget and needs of the poultry farmer? 

It is possible to design and economise an EC house according to the budget and needs of the poultry farmer without compromising on the quality of the product. An example is our Ecolite series of houses, wherein we have developed a high tensile pre galvanised EC compatible steel structure along with curtains or panels especially for the individual farmer who grows chicken for an integrator on a fixed growing charge. Considering a standard fixed charge growing scenario in India, the grower can payback his investment in 3.5 years & establish a stable income source and means of sustainability for years to come.

Similarly, it is possible to build our Ecolite EC Houses for Layers farmers within a budget and also incorporate our unique plastic metal composite cages which makes it more ergonomic for the birds & farmers, and facilitates improved operational and automation levels.

Q. How important is the adoption of EC houses for the industry at the moment? Will this dramatically change production levels?

Efficiency, Bio security & Green Technology with animal welfare will be key for our poultry Industry going forward. Poultry – chicken & eggs is one of the best, cleanest and most difficult to adulterate kind of protein source available to us. Dhumal takes immense pride to work in an Industry where we are solving a real problem and playing our part to make proteins available to the masses at a competitive price comparable to other protein sources.

Adoption of EC Houses is already a trend for the poultry industry at the moment and it has dramatically changed production levels and brought in efficiency. Now we move on to the next phase wherein we focus on Operating efficiency and economics inside EC Houses, making sure we consume the lowest per capita of energy and resources per bird inside the poultry house and ensuring it comes from green and sustainable mediums.