India’s Ban on Antibiotics in Animal Feed to Combat Antimicrobial Resistance

A recent report indicates that the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has decided to prohibit the use of specific antibiotics in animal feed, a move anticipated to help mitigate the rising concern of antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

In October, the FSSAI prohibited the use of certain antibiotics in the production of meat, meat products, milk, dairy products, poultry, eggs, and aquaculture. This ban is anticipated to improve the quality of livestock farming in India.

According to GlobalData, a leading data and analytics firm, this regulatory decision represents a significant advancement in protecting public health and tackling antimicrobial resistance (AMR), which is rendering some bacterial infections progressively harder to treat with conventional medications.

India, as a leading producer and exporter of milk, eggs, fish, and poultry, must implement regulations on antibiotic use in livestock farming to maintain its competitive edge in the global market, stated Susmitha Bynagari, a consumer analyst at GlobalData.

The nation must continuously oversee antibiotic usage in animal production to ensure the quality of its exported goods. A similar prohibition on the use of antibiotics in feed for meat and poultry has been enacted in countries such as Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam, and Singapore, Bynagari noted.

The shift is also being fueled by Indian consumers’ growing preference for healthier options. According to a recent survey by GlobalData, 73 percent of Indian participants reported that their food and beverage purchasing choices are frequently or always influenced by considerations of well-being.

Francis Gabriel Godad, Consumer Business Development Manager at GlobalData, stated that in order to effectively address the problem of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), the FSSAI must rigorously enforce the prohibition of antibiotics in animal production nationwide.

He also highlighted the importance of a grassroots strategy for achieving sustainable success in minimizing antibiotic use in agriculture and safeguarding public health.

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