ALFALFA HAY MARKET ANALYSIS

Market Concentration and Competitive Landscape

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The demand for organic and natural animal feeds has seen tremendous growth in recent years. Many cattle farmers and dairy producers are opting for alfalfa hay and other natural forages to feed their livestock instead of conventional grain-based and grass feeds. This shift towards organic and natural livestock rearing practices is one of the major factors fueling the expansion of the global alfalfa hay market. Alfalfa hay is considered to be a high quality forage for dairy cows and other cattle as it is rich in proteins, vitamins, minerals, and digestible fiber. When cattle are fed alfalfa hay, they remain healthier and more productive. Their milk yields are higher and meat quality is better. Since organic and natural animal feeds do not allow the use of antibiotics, hormones and other chemicals, alfalfa hay becomes the first choice to meet the nutritional requirements of organically raised livestock. With increasing health and environment consciousness among consumers, demand for organic meat and dairy products is surging. As reported by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, the sales of organic agricultural land grew by 5.5% annually during 2016-2020 in North America and Europe in response to this consumer demand.  This rising demand for organic food is encouraging more farmers to shift to organic and natural livestock management practices. They are preferring alfalfa hay and other forages over conventional livestock feed sources to comply with the organic certification standards. Alfalfa hay and grass pastures fit well into the organic animal feed cycle without reliance on artificial supplements. Looking forward, statutory norms promoting ecologically-friendly farming are expected to further boost the adoption of organic and all-natural rearing techniques, thereby continuing to drive the sales of alfalfa hay in the upcoming years.