CLFMA of India, the apex industry association representing India's livestock feed and allied sectors, has elected Sumit Sureka as its Chairman for the 2026–2028 term. Sureka is Managing Director of Shivshakti Agro India Pvt Ltd and Amrit Breeder Farms Pvt Ltd, and Director of Impressico Business Solutions Pvt Ltd.
Announced on October 29, 2026, the appointment places an industry professional with more than 30 years of experience in the animal feed and poultry sectors at the helm of the association.
Sureka's professional experience spans poultry, dairy, aquaculture and piggery feed, poultry breeding, hatcheries, broiler integration, business management and financial operations. His industry background is expected to inform CLFMA's engagement with policymakers, research institutions and stakeholders across the animal agriculture value chain.
More than 25 years of association with CLFMA
Sureka has been associated with CLFMA through Shivshakti Agro India for more than 25 years. His involvement with the organisation includes approximately 10 years as a Managing Committee Member, over eight years as an office-bearer and six years as Deputy Chairman.
He is also Vice President of the West Bengal Poultry Federation and an alumnus of London Business School and Shri Ram College of Commerce, Delhi.
His appointment comes at a time when the livestock feed industry is dealing with challenges related to raw material availability, input costs, production efficiency and the need for technology adoption.
As Chairman, he will lead the association's engagement with government bodies, industry participants and research institutions, while working to strengthen coordination across the livestock feed and allied sectors.
Maize and soya availability emerge as key priorities
One of the major priorities for CLFMA during the 2026–2028 term will be addressing the availability and affordability of maize and soya.
These commodities are important raw materials for animal feed production, with poultry, dairy and aquaculture businesses depending on reliable supplies at competitive prices.
Supply uncertainty and price volatility have placed pressure on feed manufacturers and livestock producers, affecting production costs across the animal agriculture value chain.
Sureka has emphasised the need to move beyond short-term responses and develop sustainable, long-term solutions through collective industry action, improved productivity, stronger supply-chain infrastructure and constructive engagement with the government.
The association intends to represent the industry's concerns and work towards improving the availability of maize and soya at competitive prices.
Technology adoption and knowledge-sharing to receive greater attention
Technology enablement will be another important area of focus under the new leadership.
The association plans to encourage the adoption of predictive technologies and productivity-enhancing solutions already being developed or used by industry members. Knowledge-sharing initiatives will help disseminate these practices across the livestock feed and animal agriculture sectors.
The objective is to strengthen operational efficiency, improve productivity and encourage wider access to emerging technologies.
CLFMA also plans to expand its membership base across India and across different industry segments. A broader membership network is expected to encourage greater participation and improve collective representation of the sector.
CLFMA plans to promote animal agriculture careers
Another priority will be increasing awareness of the animal food industry among higher educational institutions.
The initiative aims to highlight career opportunities in animal feed, poultry, dairy, aquaculture and allied businesses, including employment, self-employment and entrepreneurship.
By engaging with educational institutions, the association intends to encourage young professionals and entrepreneurs to explore opportunities across the animal agriculture value chain.
This initiative could also support the industry's long-term requirement for skilled professionals, technical expertise and business leadership.
Vision 2040: Positioning animal food as 'Most Economic Protein'
CLFMA's new leadership also plans to develop a dedicated team to formulate and work towards Vision 2040 for Animal Food, under the theme "Most Economic Protein".
The proposed vision is intended to establish a long-term direction for the sector, focusing on the role of animal-source protein in India's nutritional security and the importance of making it economically accessible.
The association's work will cover poultry, dairy, aquaculture, feed manufacturing and other allied segments, with an emphasis on productivity, competitiveness, balanced animal nutrition and sustainable industry development.
Sumit Sureka highlights collaboration with policymakers
Commenting on his appointment, Sumit Sureka, Chairman of CLFMA of India, said the livestock and feed industries play an important role in supporting India's nutritional security, farmers' livelihoods and economic development.
He highlighted the need for sustained collaboration between industry and policymakers to address raw material availability, input cost volatility, animal nutrition and production efficiency.
Sureka said he would focus on strengthening stakeholder engagement, ensuring that members' concerns receive attention and supporting initiatives that promote innovation, competitiveness and responsible growth across the animal agriculture value chain.
Immediate past Chairman's contribution acknowledged
CLFMA acknowledged the contribution of Immediate Past Chairman Divya Kumar Gulati in strengthening the association's industry representation and policy advocacy.
During his tenure, the association advanced stakeholder engagement and brought important livestock industry issues into policy discussions.
The new Chairman will be supported by an office-bearing team representing poultry, dairy, aquaculture and other segments. The leadership team will focus on strengthening coordination, promoting knowledge-sharing and advocating policies that support quality feed availability and efficient production systems.
CLFMA of India Leadership Team 2026–2028
| Position | Elected office-bearer |
|---|---|
| Chairman | Sumit Sureka |
| Deputy Chairman – Poultry | Abhay Parnekar |
| Deputy Chairman – Dairy | Dony George |
| Deputy Chairman – Aquaculture | Ramakanta V Akula |
| Deputy Chairman – Others | Ram Kutty |
| Honorary Secretary | Abhay Shah |
| Treasurer | Nissar Ahmed |
| Immediate Past Chairman | Divya Kumar Gulati |
