Soaring Soy, Phosphorus and Amino Acid Prices Threaten Profitability in Tamil Nadu

Beyond maize, the cost of several other essential feed components has spiked dramatically over the past twelve months. Soybean, previously priced at about Rs 30 per kilogram, now trades at Rs 60 or more. Imported mineral phosphorus, a vital source of phosphorous for poultry nutrition, has tripled from roughly Rs 30 to Rs 90 per kilogram.

The most alarming increase concerns amino‑acid supplements such as lysine and methionine. Their market price has rocketed from around Rs 150 per kilogram to nearly Rs 800 per kilogram. A large share of these supplements is sourced from China, and industry representatives point to heightened freight and shipping costs triggered by disruptions linked to the Gulf conflict as a key factor.

These input cost escalations have left Namakkal’s chicken and egg growers unable to recoup expenses, despite stable or even rising market prices for their products.