Pork production in India is growing at a steady pace in terms of total meat share of pork across the country. Pig is broadly distributed in all the eco-regions of the nation and its rearing is an important occupation of the rural community, especially amongst the tribal masses. As per the livestock census available publicly i.e., 20th Livestock Census, the pig population of India is 10 million and is displaying a declining trend. India’s pigs constitute about 12-15% of all meat produced and the piggery sector has been expanding at a steady pace over the last few years. Marginal to small farmers and landless labourers control majority of the pig population.

As per the latest Livestock Census published by Government of India (GOI), the pig population decreased by around 16% to 10 million between 2012 and 2019. The deterioration in population may be attributed to disease breaks. The eastern and north-eastern regions of the country include around 63% of the pig population. The pork production is concentrated mainly in the states of Uttar Pradesh (30%), followed by north-eastern states (25%), (Bihar (15%), West Bengal (6%), Karnataka (4%), Jharkhand (4%), and Kerala (3%).

· Regulatory situation: In India, domestic meat production and processing are administered by the ‘Meat Food Products Order’ (MFPO), 1973. This order authenticates sanitary and hygienic standards for slaughterhouses and sets deposit levels for meat products. Until lately, the MFPO was managed by the Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI). Nevertheless, with the invention of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), the MFPO was drawn under the umbrella of the Food Safety and Standard Regulations, which is supervised by FSSAI.

· Processed Pork: The Indian market for treated pork products is niche, and the majority of this market is accounted for by imports. Although some local businesses manufacture processed products such as sausages and bacon, numbers are limited. As per MoFPI, there are 1176 slaughterhouses in India, although the bulk of these facilities do not export. There is a small amount of abattoirs or slaughterhouses in country which meet international standards. Nevertheless, these facilities do not process pork meat.

· The first stage of the meat processing is the slaughtering of the livestock. Then you need to go for skinning the carcass, trimming and dividing the different parts of the body. Then you will need to decontaminate the meat to avoid the bacteria that may survive in the meat. The treatment duration for sterilization depends on the bacteriological status of the meat. And it depends on the quality of the meat where the presence of a high degree of fat in the meat will influence the sterilization process. Other factors include slaughtering limitations and hygienic conditions after the slaughtering. Then the meat is prepared in sauce together with other ingredients and canned at the final stage.

Formulating business plan is the first step to set up pork meat processing plant in the country. Availability of raw material and understanding the market is necessary for setting up plant. Exotic or indigenous variety of pigs is another factor which needs to be looked into as indigenous is generally preferred.

 

Meat processing business comes under the food processing industry, and Registrations & Licenses needed for the meat processing business may differ from state to state. List of permits & registrations needed for meat processing unit include:

· Registration of Firm: One can start the small to medium meat processing plant factory, either via a Proprietorship or Partnership Firm.

· GST Registration: Getting a GST number is necessary for all businesses.

· Trade License: The license needs to be obtained from local authorities.

· Pollution Certificate: Applying for a pollution certificate is essential because the meat processing factory is dealing with a lot of pollutants.

· MSME/SSI Registration: MSME/SSI Registration can offer people the eligibility for government schemes and facilities.

· EPF Registration: Employees state insurance, which is an insurance plan for workers.

· ESI Registration: Employees' provident fund is mandatory for businesses with more than 20 employees.

· Trademark: Registering a brand name with a trademark that will shield the brand.

· Food Safety and Standard Authority of India (FSSAI): The processed meat industry is divided under the food processing industry; consequently, one must get the FSSAI license.

· IEC Code: If one intends to export the processed meat products to other nations, then you have to obtain an IEC code, which is compulsory for the export of commodities in any business.

While beginning a pork meat processing plant or any other business, it is vital to select the right field location for business. To set up a pork meat processing plant, minimum area needed is 1500 sq ft.

The primary raw material utilized in the meat processing industry is of course livestock. One requires to select the raw material according to the system and need to procure the animal regularly.

Apart from this, one will require the packaging materials, which is dependent on the product being produced in the meat processing industry.

o   Aluminium Cans for Canned Processed Meats

o   Polyethene

o   Skin Packaging

o   A Single/ Multilayer Film

While picking the machinery and equipment setup for a meat processing business, one needs to choose machinery according to your capital financing and the meat processing plant size and product.

·  Pump for Slaughterhouse and Meat Applications

These pumps are designed to be the next generation of positive displacement pump that meets the most stringent regulations. The food pumps are used in several applications for different materials, like sausage meat, minced pork, meat pastes, and pork processed food.

Price: INR 50,000 – INR 2 lakhs

The Tallow Tank is used to deposit and maintain tallow for the pasture mill at a set temperature. The expert manufacturers make it a point to use quality grade materials procured from trusted merchants to manufacture this tank. The size and dimensions of the container can be customized as per the specifications of clients.

Price: INR 4 lakh – INR 50 lakh

Hydraulic Sausage Filler machine is highly secure and has a long-lasting life. It presents high working cycles, which helps to enhance the production rate per hour. This is mainly utilized at pork processing units, supermarkets, as well as hotels and commercial kitchens. Hydraulic Sausage Filler has an electronic panel board that alters the speed and has start/stop commands. In addition to this, the machine is equipped with an electric motor that employs a 240-watt power supply. It is simple to set up and can be comfortably shifted from one place to another with hassle-free performance.

Price: INR 2.25 lakh

Meat processing equipment is one of the most vital equipment in the meat processing industry. The meat processing equipment is available in different specifications as per the requirements of the clients.

Price: INR 3.40 lakh

Small Vacuum Meat Tumbler is a strong and robust stainless-steel tumbler. It is designed to meet the requirements of large-sized meat and poultry processors.

Price: INR 98,000

According to TechSci Research report “Global Meat Processing Equipment Market By Type (Cutting Equipment, Dicing Equipment, Blending Equipment, Tenderizing Equipment, Massaging Equipment, Smoking Equipment, Filling Equipment, Grinding Equipment and Others), By Meat Type (Processed Beef, Processed Mutton, Processed Pork and Others), By Product Type (Fresh Processed Meat, Raw Fermented Sausages, Precooked Meat, Dried Meat, Cured Meat and Others), By Region, Competition, Forecast & Opportunities, 2026”, the global meat processing equipment market is projected to reach over $ 17 billion by 2026, owing to rising population, increasing disposable income, rising demand for protein rich food and improving living standards. Based on equipment type, in 2020, the Cutting Equipment segment dominated the market, followed by Blending and Tenderizing Equipment segments. Massaging equipment segment is predicted to witness the highest growth rate due to growing demand for fast and homogeneous formulations. Based on product type, the market has been segmented into Fresh Processed Meat, Raw Fermented Sausages, Precooked Meat, Dried Meat, Cured Meat and Others. In 2020, North America accounted for the largest market share and is expected to maintain its dominance during the forecast period as well due to the high adoption rate of meat processing equipment. But the market was affected due to the recent outbreak of the pandemic due to COVID-19 virus and the economy of the country experienced a severe downfall. The pandemic forced the population of the world inside their homes and since the virus was rumoured to have spread through livestock in the Wuhan City, China; majority of the population refrained from choosing meat and related eatables. Although, with the steady unlock process going on in the world the market is anticipated to regain its growth rate in the upcoming five years.