For Clean, Smart and Profitable Farming.
Poultry Farming
Poultry Farming in India
Poultry has crucial place in India as the eggs and chicken meat are important and rich sources of protein, vitamins and minerals. Poultry provides rich organic manure and is an important source of income and employment to millions of farmers and other persons engaged in allied activities in the poultry industry. Prices of chicken meat are lower than those of mutton or goat meat. Many Indian families, especially the educated people in urban areas, have begun to accept eggs as a regular supplemental part of their vegetarian diet .The forecast surveys indicate that as the present younger generation goes to the adulthood, the acceptability and demand for eggs and chicken meat in next 2-3 decades is likely to increase many-folds very rapidly.
As per the 1992 Livestock census, India had 284 million fowls (Including both Desi and improved layer and broiler birds). It is estimated that India presently has about 115 million improved layer and 620 million commercial broiler population. By year 2005, this is likely to reach to 250 million layers and 2110 million commercial broilers. This means that the parent female layer breeding stocks have to increase from 1.41 million to 3.12 million. In the same manner, the broiler breeder female stocks have to grow from 5.80 million to 20 million. This again indicates a tremendous potential for hatchery growth. All this will require intense efforts to provide proper infrastructure support sustainable broiler and egg industry in breeding, feeding, management, health control, and infrastructure for collection, processing, preservation and marketing of eggs and poultry products with a view to increasing the food security and improving the overall economy of the country.
The National Egg Coordination Committee projected a poultry plan for year 2015, keeping in view the target of 180 eggs and 9 kg chicken meat. Per capita annual consumption and considering an average growth of 10 % and 15% for egg and broiler industry respectively .For this purpose the country would need a capital investment of about Rs.148000 million A district wise growth and marketing plan, with a thrust on local rural marketing has been suggested instead of concentrating on the urban markets .