Overview

• Prices of imported feather shuttlecocks have more than doubled over the past year in India and elsewhere, according to multiple reports.
• Media reports link the squeeze to reduced duck and goose rearing in China—an essential source of feathers—alongside rising global demand for badminton.
• India has been notably affected, with top stakeholders warning of training impacts and coach Pullela Gopichand urging the sport to reduce reliance on feather shuttles.
• BWF says it has spent more than a decade developing synthetic alternatives, with several brands already selling social‑use versions as competition‑grade models continue testing.
• Secretary‑general Thomas Lund notes BWF is not a manufacturer and says producers must fix supply‑chain issues and fast‑track advanced synthetic shuttlecocks.