Driving Innovation and Sustainability in Animal Nutrition: Insights from Ravinder Balain, MD - Cargill Animal Nutrition & Health, South Asia

Ravinder Balain, Managing Director- Cargill Animal Nutrition & Health, South Asia is driving Cargill’s mission to enhance animal health, productivity, and sustainability across the country.?

With over 33 years of experience, Ravinder, fondly known as Ravi by the team, brings a wealth of expertise in market strategy, supply chain management, and innovative solutions.?

Ravi along with his specialized team of experts is leading one of the world’s largest food company’s Animal Nutrition & Health (ANH) business to ensure the delivery of Cargill’s nutritional core into high-quality and innovative nutrition solutions through renowned brands like Vetcare, Provimi, and Purina. He is leveraging Cargill’s global R&D and technology to understand and address the local agricultural challenges in animal nutrition. With a commitment to responsible operations, Ravi emphasizes the importance of safe, sustainable practices while enriching the lives of farmers and communities.

In the following conversation, he explains how Cargill is moving forward its global mission of creating a more food-secure world and the exciting opportunities ahead in the animal nutrition and health industry.?

Let’s explore his insights on how Cargill is advancing animal health, driving sustainability, and shaping the future of agriculture in India.

What are the core functions and objectives of Cargill's Animal Nutrition and Health business?

Cargill’s Animal Nutrition and Health (ANH) business is one of the global leaders in providing innovative solutions to the animal industry. We have an extensive range of products under renowned brands such as Vetcare, Provimi, EWOS, Purina, and Cargill. Our primary business sectors in India include dairy feed and health solutions for dairy farmers, poultry health solutions for poultry producers, and nutrition solutions for feed millers in the dairy, poultry and aqua segments.?

In addition to our product offerings, we extend expert guidance and support to our customers through our digital platforms, assisting customers with feed formulation, animal nutrition, and farm management. This support is designed to enhance the health, productivity, and sustainability of both livestock and poultry.?

Leveraging our global supply chain capabilities and our dedication to sustainability, we help our customers achieve their objectives of raising healthy, productive animals while ensuring a sustainable food supply.

How does Cargill's ANH business align with and contribute to Cargill's global mission?

Cargill provides food, ingredients, agricultural solutions, and industrial products to nourish the world in a safe, responsible, and sustainable way. With an experience of over 159 years of new innovations and insights, we serve as a trusted partner, serving a unique role spanning the global supply chain. We are bringing a world of possibilities that is tailored and delivered locally.

We play a significant role in advancing our mission of nourishing the world in a safe, responsible, and sustainable way. Our offering of essential animal nutrition products, solutions and services helps secure a dependable and sustainable food supply for an expanding global population and makes sustainable nutrition accessible.?

We partner closely with farmers, livestock producers, and consumers by delivering effective and innovative solutions that enhance animal health, productivity, and profitability - contributing to well-being. We follow global industrial standards to conduct our operations safely and responsibly, upholding rigorous standards of environmental stewardship, animal welfare, and workplace safety.?

We engage with local communities through numerous initiatives, including community development projects, collaborations with local organizations, and investments in education and infrastructure.?

How does Cargill's approach to diversity and inclusion impact team dynamics and drive innovation?

Our purpose is to nourish the world. And that purpose begins with our people. It’s a big responsibility and it takes a wide range of experiences, ideas, and talents to execute.?

Our diversity and inclusion initiatives play a vital role in embracing diversity as a part of our culture. We believe this is essential to effectively navigate the Indian markets and address the requirements of various customer segments.?

Our diverse workforce helps to foster a broader understanding of livestock and customer's needs, market trends, and challenges, leading to more informed and innovative decision-making.?

How does Cargill's global footprint in animal nutrition influence local agricultural practices positively?

At Cargill,?we are?harnessing the power of what’s possible to?deliver life-changing solutions that will positively impact the?world today and for generations to come. Our extensive Technology Application Centers (TAC) and Research & Development (R&D) capabilities worldwide, work closely with customers across the industry to bring innovative feed solutions, disease prevention strategies, and nutritional advancements to the Indian market. This contributes to better animal health, increased productivity, and enhanced overall efficiency for our farmers with improved agricultural practices, optimized feed formulations, and solutions to specific challenges encountered by the Indian livestock sector. Eventually, it helps improve farmers’ livelihood.?

Furthermore, Cargill's global presence offers critical insights into the market dynamics, consumer preferences, and evolving regulatory and sustainable farming practices.

By leveraging our global network, we procure high-quality raw materials locally ensuring a reliable supply chain for our operations in India. Additionally, this helps us in mitigating risks related to any supply interruptions.?

What career opportunities exist within Cargill's ANH business, and what makes them unique in the industry?

At Cargill, our job opportunities are so much diverse, and we are proud to be working with some of the best talent in the industry who look at Cargill for long-term career building.?

We operate multiple manufacturing facilities in India where we require experts and supervisors in Production and Manufacturing, as well as quality control specialists within the Food Safety, Quality, and Regulatory vertical. These roles are crucial in ensuring efficient operations while prioritizing our commitment to customer satisfaction. A good example of how our team worked together to drive quality and standardization is the recent recognition of the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) for our Cargill Bathinda Plant. ?Additionally, we seek animal nutritionists, veterinarians, and biochemists to assist in the development of new formulations.?

These professionals will also collaborate with animal producers to enhance farm management practices, disease prevention strategies, nutritional balance, and the exploration of innovative technologies. Our robust in-house Go-to-Market (GTM) team engages with customers to strategize and develop our products and solutions to support our customers' success.?

Given our involvement in the commodity sector, we require strong sourcing and supply chain experts from the agricultural commodities sector. With the scale of our operations and multi-location operations, financial management professionals are vital to our business.

What skills and experiences are most valued for a successful career in animal nutrition and health at Cargill?

Key skills to thrive in our team would be:

• Technical skills: Understanding animal nutrition, feed science, chemistry, and livestock farming.
• Business skills: Market analysis, sales, finance, and customer relationship management.
• Interpersonal skills: Problem-solving, collaboration, leadership, and communication.
• Regulatory and compliance skills: Knowledge of regulations and ensuring compliance.
• Research and development skills: Innovation and research methods.

Which regions are central to Cargill’s ANH operations in India, and what makes these areas strategically significant for animal nutrition?

Our operations span multiple regions throughout India, with our headquarters located in Bangalore. Our Dairy feed business has a strong presence in the northern part of the country and is currently in an expansion phase in the western and southern regions, which are recognized as promising clusters for dairy farming.

Additionally, our Animal Health Care business, encompassing Dairy and Petcare Health, along with our Poultry operations, is distributed across the entire nation. Our Aqua business is strategically established in the southern and eastern regions.

What upcoming projects or initiatives within Cargill's ANH business should prospective employees be excited about?

We are in an exciting phase in our business where we are entering new market clusters, increasing our manufacturing footprints, and developing meaningful solutions for Indian livestock and poultry customers. We are looking to deepen these partnerships and create a higher impact.

How do you ensure continuous learning and professional growth for your team members?

We are cultivating a culture that emphasizes continuous learning and professional development for our teams through a comprehensive Training & Development program - a combination of on-the-job training and project-based learning to acquire new skills and knowledge through practical experience. Our mentorship and skip-level connect initiatives encourage two-way communications, offering guidance and support.?

We actively assist our teams to participate in external training courses, engage with experts, and attend workshops to further enhance their skills and knowledge. Cargill facilitates both global and local team meetings and discussions to promote the sharing of knowledge, ideas, and best practices.?

Our uniquely tailored online learning platform, Degreed, provides access to a wide array of topics related to both functional expertise and soft skills. As a part of an ongoing individual development program, we assist employees with opportunities for career advancement, both locally and globally, through promotions or lateral transitions.

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Cargill is making a lasting impact on animal health and the productivity of livestock by focusing on customer-centric innovative solutions, a commitment to sustainability, and a deep understanding of local agricultural practices. This team’s work not only supports farmers and producers but also contributes to a more sustainable and reliable food supply chain.

As Cargill expands its operations, focusing on cutting-edge research, market penetration, and community engagement, it remains dedicated to fostering growth and driving positive change in the industry. With its diverse team, global insights, and unwavering dedication to responsible operations, Cargill is well-positioned to continue shaping the future of animal health and nutrition.