The Animal Husbandry Department has introduced Backyard Poultry Scheme under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme, where low input technology birds of coloured strain but disease resistant type are supplied to the farmers of the state.
The poultry farming in Himachal Pradesh play an important role in improving the socio- economic status of rural population particularly the landless because poultry farming require minimum capital and ensures quick returns, thereby improving the quality of life of the rural poor.
The sale of eggs on day to day basis helps in increasing crop production through purchase of essential inputs such as seed, insecticides, etc. Poultry droppings are an excellent source of farm manure.
With the introduction of the Centrally Sponsored Scheme, the hatcheries and the farms of the state are being strengthened in a phased manner so that the demand of the rural population for the chicks of both egger and broiler strain could be met easily.
Poultry population stood at 8, 09,132 in 2007-08 while the egg production stood at 842 lakhs numbers according to the 2007-2008 survey.
Source:https://apps.mgov.gov.in/