India's biofuel program impacts poultry farmers
India's big push to blend more ethanol into fuel has sent demand for maize soaring, with production for ethanol jumping from 1 million metric tons in 2022 to over 6 million in 2024.
This spike has made maize prices climb over 20% in just a year, and they may rise further as targets get bigger.
Poultry farms use 60% of India's maize
Since poultry farms use about 60% of India's maize, they're hit hardest—feed costs are up nearly 40%.
Many small farmers can't afford better options or hedge their risks, so some have switched to lower-quality feed that means fewer eggs.
Egg prices haven't budged much, so most farmers can't pass on the extra cost.
Experts worry about food security
With local maize supplies falling short, experts worry about food security as more land shifts to growing maize for fuel.
Some say switching to biofuels made from non-food crops could help, but those solutions are still slow to catch on.