Source:REUTERS/Ana Beltran
[Saba Sports News] Due to a shortage of Chinese raw materials, the price of imported badminton balls has more than doubled in the past year. India, which has a huge demand for badminton balls, is very dissatisfied. It claims that this is because more Chinese people are eating pork instead of goose meat, leading to a decrease in goose farming, which has driven up the price of badminton balls. Since this situation cannot be resolved, it is impossible to force the Chinese to eat more goose meat, and dietary habits are difficult to change in the short term. Therefore, India will no longer import expensive Chinese badminton balls and will seek self-sufficiency in production. India’s national badminton team coach Pullela Gopichand said that the issue of reliance on goose feathers needs a long-term solution. Meanwhile, coach Vimal Kumar called on India to seriously consider producing its own badminton balls. Kumar emphasized, “India should establish a large number of badminton ball production factories in Kerala and West Bengal. While feather quality is important, I really don’t understand why we can’t produce our own at this time of shortage and rising prices.” The Indian coach also mentioned that most countries purchase top-grade badminton balls from Yonex or Li-Ning. If India can develop a world-class badminton ball manufacturer, it would not only meet domestic demand but also export to Europe and the US to earn foreign currency. India plans to go both ways – producing natural and synthetic badminton balls – to meet different audience needs. With badminton being one of the most popular Olympic sports in India, “Made in India” is necessary.