In a major stride towards curbing the silent threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has officially banned the use of certain antibiotics in the production of meat, milk, poultry, eggs, and aquaculture effective April 1. This policy shift aligns with India’s commitment to the Muscat Ministerial Manifesto on AMR, aiming to cut antimicrobial use in the agrifood sector by 30% to 50% by 2030 and protect critically important antibiotics for human medicine.
Why Are Antibiotics Used for Growth—and Why Is It a Problem?
For decades, farmers have used antimicrobial growth promoters (AMGPs) to boost animal productivity. These substances improve nutrient absorption by disrupting gut bacteria, leading to faster growth and better feed efficiency. However, this comes at a cost: antibiotics create selective pressure, allowing resistant bacteria to thrive, which can eventually be transferred to humans via food or the environment.
A historic example is avoparcin, once used in livestock across Europe, which led to an alarming rise in vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE)—prompting countries like Denmark to ban its use as early as 1995.
India’s Livestock Boom and Rising Antibiotic Use
India has seen rapid growth in its livestock sector. According to the Economic Survey, the sector recorded a CAGR of 7.9% from 2014-15 to 2020-21, with its contribution to agriculture GVA rising from 24.3% to 30.1% in that period. This booming demand for affordable protein—eggs, chicken, dairy—has also meant rising antimicrobial use, making India the fourth-largest consumer of antibiotics in animal production by 2010.
What the Surveillance Says
Data from the Indian Network for Fishery and Animal Antimicrobial Resistance (INFAAR) reveal troubling trends:
- 91.3% of Staphylococcus aureus in aquaculture were resistant to penicillin.
- Poultry-origin bacteria showed high resistance to ampicillin (58%), cefotaxime (52%), and tetracycline (50%).
- Freshwater fish isolates showed 54.8% resistance to ciprofloxacin.
These figures highlight how widespread and dangerous antimicrobial resistance has become—not just for animals, but for humans as well.
The Way Forward: Healthier Practices, Better Biosecurity
The ban is a welcome move, but sustainable change depends on better farm practices:
- External and internal biosecurity to stop the spread of diseases.
- Vaccinations, genetic selection, and animal welfare measures.
- Use of probiotics, prebiotics, bacteriophages, and organic acids as safer alternatives.
- Promotion of low-antibiotic farming systems such as organic production.
It’s critical to remember: antibiotics cannot make up for poor hygiene or inadequate animal care. True change will come only when the community is involved at every level—from planning to implementation.
Download Eggora Poultry App: https://www.eggora.com/download-app