A recent article in French newspaper L’Equipe attributed the crisis to changing food habits in China, where preference for pork over duck and goose meat has reduced poultry farming, and to global surge in badminton’s popularity. The squeeze has forced India’s top stakeholders to admit the sport can no longer depend solely on goose, duck feathers
Pullela Gopichand. Pic/AFP
The humble shuttlecock, the lifeline of badminton, has become the sport’s biggest worry with prices of imported feather shuttles more than doubling in the past year amid an acute shortage of raw material in China.
A recent article in French newspaper L’Equipe attributed the crisis to changing food habits in China, where preference for pork over duck and goose meat has reduced poultry farming, and to a global surge in badminton’s popularity.
The squeeze has forced India’s top stakeholders to admit the sport can no longer depend solely on goose and duck feathers.
“Sooner or later, we have to move away from feathers as a product. The sport has grown exponentially, and between China, Indonesia and India alone, we account for nearly two-fifths of the world’s population consuming shuttles,” chief national coach Pullela Gopichand told PTI.
“Unless we find lab-grown or synthetic options, we will have a problem,” he added.
While reports suggested Gopichand’s academy in Hyderabad was left with less than two weeks of shuttle reserves, BAI secretary Sanjay Mishra said supply to national camps will stabilise this week but admitted the long-term challenge remains.
“Yonex has assured us shipments after August 20, so there’s no immediate panic. But as demand rises globally, we have to think of alternatives,” added Mishra.
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