Exploring the Impact of COVID-19 and the Associated Lockdown on the Production, Distribution, and Consumption of Poultry Products in Gujarat, India: A Qualitative Study
Pallavi Mishra,
Akash Golaviya,
Ketankumar Panchal,
Ankit Hinsu,
Kavita Yadav,
Guillaume Fournié,
Tony Barnett,
Prakash Koringa,
Haidar Ul Iman Paleja,
Rajib Dasgupta
Affiliations
Pallavi Mishra
Centre of Social Medicine and Community Health, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi 110067, India
Akash Golaviya
Department of Animal Biotechnology, College of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry, Anand Agricultural University, Anand 388110, India
Ketankumar Panchal
Department of Animal Biotechnology, College of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry, Anand Agricultural University, Anand 388110, India
Ankit Hinsu
Department of Animal Biotechnology, College of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry, Anand Agricultural University, Anand 388110, India
Kavita Yadav
Centre of Social Medicine and Community Health, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi 110067, India
Guillaume Fournié
Veterinary Epidemiology, Economics and Public Health Group, Department of Pathobiology and Population Sciences, The Royal Veterinary College, London NW1 0TU, UK
Tony Barnett
Veterinary Epidemiology, Economics and Public Health Group, Department of Pathobiology and Population Sciences, The Royal Veterinary College, London NW1 0TU, UK
Prakash Koringa
Department of Animal Biotechnology, College of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry, Anand Agricultural University, Anand 388110, India
Haidar Ul Iman Paleja
Department of Animal Biotechnology, College of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry, Anand Agricultural University, Anand 388110, India
Rajib Dasgupta
Centre of Social Medicine and Community Health, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi 110067, India
Background: The poultry industry in India, estimated to be worth about one trillion INR, was severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. This study was conducted in Gujarat, India to unpack the processes through which COVID-19-related factors affected the poultry production and distribution network and explore the impacts on the relevant actors. Methods: An exploratory qualitative study was conducted among 34 poultry stakeholders using semi-structured interviews. The data were thematically analyzed by adopting an interpretative phenomenological approach. Results: Convincing evidence emerged that the lockdown and the pandemic significantly impacted the production, distribution, and consumption of poultry products. Movement restrictions during the first lockdown disrupted the supply of inputs and the distribution of poultry and poultry products. Between March and June 2020, rumors contributed to a substantial decrease in the consumption of poultry products. Consumption picked up following the reopening after the lockdown and the prices and availability of poultry products. The profits, however, failed to compensate for the losses that had been incurred. Conclusions: The experience and impacts of the first COVID-19 lockdown on the poultry industry unraveled several short- and medium-term challenges in the poultry sector in India that need to be addressed to make it more resilient to similar shocks.
