01 Rising Demand for Animal Protein As India's economy grows and urbanizes, dietary tastes change toward higher consumption of animal protein, such as meat, eggs, and dairy products. Rising earnings, changing lifestyles, and cultural influences all play a role in driving this trend. India's population is expected to reach 1.4 billion by mid-2023, accounting for 17.76% of the global total. This makes India the world's most populous country, surpassing China by April 2023. India's population density is 481 per square kilometer, with a median age of 28.2 years. Cities are home to 36.3% of the Indian population. India has a sizable and expanding customer base for animal protein. The growing population, urbanization, and lifestyle changes drive greater demand for animal products.Additionally, the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) predicts that India's fluid milk production will reach 212.7 million metric tons (MMT) in 2024, up 3% from 2023. The NDDB expects India to produce 0.8 MMT of nonfat dry milk and 6.9 MMT of butter in 2024, a 4% and 2% increase over 2023, respectively. Thus, Rising demand for animal protein drives up demand for animal feed, which supports the growth, health, and productivity of livestock, poultry, and aquaculture species. This trend creates chances for feed makers to expand their operations, innovate their products, and contribute to the long-term development of India's animal protein sector.