Dog food firms bark up the right tree

It sure is not a dog's life for companies in the dog food business in India. The business is growing at a rate of nearly 17-18 per cent annually, that too with a market value of more than Rs 250 crore (Rs 2.5 billion). The size of the market overall, including accessories, is over Rs 500 crore (Rs 5 billion).

Sudhir Chandra, MD, Asian Diet Products Ltd, said, "There is a lot of awareness among the people and they are really concerned about the health of the dog. People spend Rs 30 to Rs 4,000 on on dog food."

At present, the ratio of dog food and snacks chewstik is 60:40 and the ratio is expected to be 50:50 in a couple of years.

Pegged at Rs 82 a kilogram, Pedigree, the dog food brand, is available in chicken and vegetable flavours. There are other imported brands in the market currently retailing at almost Rs 280 per kilogram.

With its brands spread across the major cities, the company is engaged in putting its distribution in order. It will also vend its brands at vet clinics and pet outlets.

Treat made from buffalo meat without any preservatives, it is given once or twice a week for healthy growth of puppies and dogs. It has natural bone of about eight inches, and it costs around Rs 70-80.

Another product Tripe, the fat of buffalo, costs Rs 70-75 per 200 gm, while liver of the buffalo is the costliest product at about Rs 50-60 for 100 gm. Pedigree, Royal Canin, Pro Pac and Purina are the main players in the market.

These brands have brought into our country dry dog foods that just need to be scooped out. The dry food being given in the country is identical to the food available across Europe.

The diets for arthritis having glucosamine and chondrioitin are also available in the market. These components are supposed to reverse the erosion of cartilage in joints. Veterinarians advises giving buffalo liver to the dog as food.

The manufacturers have also come up with online sales of various dog foods, including Pedigree for dogs, raw hide chews, nutrition green bones, chicken sausages, cuttle fish bones, dog calcium powder and many more.

As one client said, "I feed my dog exactly what I eat!" It may be quite a while before owners actually shift over to dry foods, but the canine food industry has never looked so good before.

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