Bayer HealthCare’s Animal Health division to expand operations in India
Animal Health sector on a positive growth path – globally and in India
The Company to target specific growth segments
Mumbai, December 11, 2009 –Bayer HealthCare’s Animal Health division is set to grow its business in India by expanding its current portfolio and revamping its sales and distribution network.
The Company will increase its sales force substantially in the coming months by adding more than 100 people and developing a country-wide distribution network in the farm animal segment that covers all key agricultural regions. In a first step, effective December 2009, Bayer Animal Health will take over the distribution of nine of its Farm Animal Products (FAP). Currently, these products are being sold through a distribution arrangement externally. The newly established FAP team and infrastructure will be merged with the existing CAP (Companion Animal Products) organization. Keeping in mind the Company’s long term objective to expand its portfolio and leverage its innovation pipeline, Bayer Animal Health plans to introduce further products to the Indian market in 2010 – focussing on relevant market segments such as parasiticides, anti-infectives and nutritionals.
Although the Animal Health business in India is still in the early stages of development, agriculture and its allied industries are very important in the country. To meet the requirement of animal products, farmers realize the benefits of keeping their animals disease free and healthy. This is one reason that the FAP segment is so attractive and an essential focus area for the Company. Said Rajesh Aggarwal, Head of Bayer’s Indian Animal Health operations at a media roundtable in Mumbai, “In 2008, the Indian Animal Health industry posted sales of around €220 million. The expected annual growth rate is approximately 7 to 8 per cent. What is of significance here is that though the Companion Animals segment is growing faster than the Farm Animal segment, the latter has a share of almost 90 per cent of the market. It is therefore essential to concentrate on the FAP business in order to be one of the leading players in the Animal Health market in India.”
He further added,”India is the world’s largest milk producer. The country has one of the largest cattle populations and breeds world class buffaloes, goats, cows and even poultry. Keeping this in mind, there is a growing need to prevent losses due to animal diseases and improve productivity in the animal husbandry sector of rural India in order to meet the ever-growing demand for animal products.”
Bayer HealthCare’s Animal Health division is one of the world’s leading research based suppliers of veterinary solutions, ranked number four internationally and has been successfully supplying its customers in the livestock and the companion animal sector with a wide range of innovative, scientifically proven and effective veterinary solutions for more than 90 years. With double digit year on year growth Asia Pacific is one of the fastest growing regions at Bayer Animal Health and this strategy is keeping in mind the growing importance of India in the Bayer world.
Reiterating the German Company’s commitment to the Indian market, Dr. Alexander Jahn, Head of Region International at Bayer Animal Health said, “We believe that the Indian market offers significant opportunities in the mid to long term and we are positioning ourselves from a people and portfolio perspective. We plan to further expand our operations in India and seize additional market opportunities both in the farm and the companion animal segment.”
The growing number of large, professionally operated animal breeding establishments where there is focus on high productivity and the steadily increasing demand for high-quality products, gives Bayer grounds for optimism in this sector. This is in spite of the many challenges facing rural India. Bayer has set on a path of investing in the future development of the market and is confident that this segment of industry can only progress.
About Bayer HealthCare
The Bayer Group is a global enterprise with core competencies in the fields of health care, nutrition and high-tech materials. Bayer HealthCare, a subsidiary of Bayer AG, is one of the world’s leading, innovative companies in the healthcare and medical products industry and is based in Leverkusen, Germany. The company combines the global activities of the Animal Health, Bayer Schering Pharma, Consumer Care and Medical Care divisions. Bayer HealthCare’s aim is to discover and manufacture products that will improve human and animal health worldwide. Find more information at www.bayerhealthcare.com.
With sales of EUR 963 million (2008), the Animal Health division is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of veterinary drugs. The division produces and markets more than 100 different veterinary drugs and care products for livestock and companion animals.
Contact:
Aloke V. Pradhan,
Vice-President - Corporate Communications
Bayer Group in India
E-Mail : aloke.pradhan.ap@bayer-ag.de
www.bayer.co.in
IND-BHC-2009-0963
Forward-Looking Statements
This release may contain forward-looking statements based on current assumptions and forecasts made by Bayer Group or subgroup management. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors could lead to material differences between the actual future results, financial situation, development or performance of the company and the estimates given here. These factors include those discussed in Bayer’s public reports which are available on the Bayer website at www.bayer.com. The company assumes no liability whatsoever to update these forward-looking statements or to conform them to future events or developments.
