Gujarat Assembly Passes Bill Making Licences Mandatory For Livestock, Poultry Feed

The Gujarat Legislative Assembly on Thursday unanimously passed a landmark legislation aimed at tightening quality controls over livestock and poultry feed across the state. The Gujarat Livestock Feed, Poultry Feed and Mineral Mixture (Regulation of Production, Storage, Distribution, Sale and Quality Control) Bill, 2026 makes licences mandatory for businesses involved in the manufacture, storage, distribution and sale of livestock feed, poultry feed and mineral mixtures.

The legislation introduces stringent penalties for manufacturers and sellers found supplying substandard or adulterated feed, particularly in cases where poor-quality feed results in the death of animals.

Under the new law, manufacturers producing substandard feed can face a fine of up to ₹5 lakh, along with suspension of their licence for a period of up to one year. The Bill also seeks to crack down on misleading branding and claims on feed products. Businesses found using misleading branding could face a fine of up to ₹5 lakh and suspension of their licence for as long as three years.

The penalties become significantly more severe in cases involving adulteration.

Manufacturing or selling adulterated feed without resulting in an animal death could lead to cancellation of the licence, imprisonment of up to one year and a fine of up to ₹5 lakh. However, if consumption of adulterated feed results in the death of an animal, offenders could face seven to 10 years in prison, along with a fine of up to ₹10 lakh. Their licence could also be cancelled.

Agriculture and Animal Husbandry Minister Jitu Vaghani, who introduced the Bill in the Assembly, said the new regulatory framework would require manufacturers to adhere to quality standards prescribed by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR).

The legislation also provides for periodic testing and analysis of feed samples. It lays down requirements relating to packaging and labelling, with the government seeking to prevent manufacturers from making deceptive claims about the quality or composition of their products.

Vaghani said the legislation was guided by the World Health Organization’s “One Health” approach, which recognises the interconnectedness of human, animal and environmental health. According to the minister, the law is intended not only to protect livestock and poultry but also to safeguard farmers and responsible feed manufacturers who comply with prescribed quality standards.

The minister warned that action would be taken against businesses that compromise feed quality, while stressing that the new licensing mechanism would not be designed to unnecessarily burden legitimate businesses.

Importantly, the government has proposed an online and faceless licensing system. The move is aimed at reducing bureaucratic hurdles and preventing unnecessary harassment of businesses during the licensing process.

The Bill also provides exemptions for certain activities. Farmers preparing feed for their own livestock will remain outside the scope of the legislation. Feed manufactured specifically for research purposes will also be exempt.

The Gujarat government said the legislation assumes significance given the scale of the state’s livestock sector. Gujarat has more than 106 lakh buffaloes and 96 lakh cows, in addition to large populations of sheep, goats and poultry.

Authorities believe tighter regulation of feed quality could help improve the health of livestock and, in turn, contribute to better milk productivity. The government has also sought to create greater accountability within the feed industry by bringing production, storage, distribution and sale under a formal quality-control framework.

With the Assembly passing the Bill unanimously, Gujarat is moving towards a more tightly regulated livestock-feed market, combining mandatory licensing, laboratory testing, packaging and labelling standards with sharply higher penalties for violations.