City-based poultry vaccines maker, Hester Biosciences Ltd has laid out ambitious plans to venture into large animal vaccines and healthcare products to more than treble its annual turnover in the next two years. 

The company launched PPR vaccine and Goat Pox vaccine here eyeing on the upcoming opportunities in the animal healthcare industry. 

"We are focusing on large animal vaccines at present as there is great potential to grow in this segment. We expect to cross Rs 200 crore turnover by fiscal 2016-17," said Rajiv Gandhi, CEO & MD, Hester Biosciences Ltd addressing media here.

Company posted net profit of Rs 10 crore on revenue of Rs 69 crore during 2013-14, while for the nine-month period this fiscal, it registered net profit of Rs 10 crore on net sales of Rs 67 crore. Currently about 90 per cent of the company's turnover comes from poultry.

Hester plans to invest about Rs 25 crore for India operations to expand its current facility at Kadi having existing capacity of 4.8 billion dosages per annum.

Gandhi further mentioned that the company is also exploring joint-venture partners in Africa, Middle East and South American regions to set up either a greenfield or a brownfield manufacturing facility for vaccine manufacturing.

According to Gandhi, the global animal healthcare market is estimated at around $ 22 billion, of which Indian market size is around $ 375 million. "India has a huge poultry and cattle population and with growing awareness, market is expected to see a multi-fold increase in years to come," he said.

Company has a product portfolio of over 47 vaccines and over 35 health products.

Hester shares ended at Rs 441.10, up 5 per cent from the previous close on Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE). 

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