INITIATIVE TAKEN WITH KEYSTONE GOLDEN VARIETY CHICKS
Jaipur, Dec.4, 2016. After the resounding success of backyard poultry farming launched in a big way for Dalit and poor families, poultry farming has now been taken up exclusively for egg production for the first time in small and nondescript villages of Bharatpur district. The initiative is aimed at providing a viable livelihood option to compensate for losses in agriculture and raise the standard of living of villagers.
This is the latest intervention of a civil society group as part of its ambitious action plan to help out households living below poverty line in order to improve their socio-economic conditions. Poultry farming as a profitable livelihood opportunity was identified by Lupin Human Welfare & Research Foundation five years ago after studying the geographical location of villages in the district and the demand prevailing in the market.
The Foundation has made arrangements for supply of chicks of keystone golden layer variety from Kaig Farm in New Delhi to the chick rearers in Bharatpur district, setting the target for establishment of 50 poultry units in four tehsils of the district.
The Lupin Foundation’s Executive Director, Mr. Sita Ram Gupta, said here today that while as many as 230 poultry farms were functioning for meat production at present in the district, there was no unit for egg production as an industrial venture. In the initial phase, 500 chicks have been supplied to a chick breeder in Astawan village of Kumher Panchayat Samiti.
The hens of keystone golden layer variety start laying eggs after attaining the age of about 20 weeks and deliver about 200 eggs in a year. The eggs of this breed are golden in colour and weigh heavier than those of other variety. These eggs can be easily sold in the market for Rs. 15 to Rs. 20 each.
Mr. Gupta pointed out that each keystone golden hen eats about 110 grams of feed in a day, which costs only Rs. 4, while its eggs are sold for Rs. 11 each. A chick rearer can easily earn Rs. 5,000 per day from a unit of 500 chicks.
Hens and fowls of keystone golden layer variety are sturdy and have a greater resistance to diseases in comparison with those of other breeds. Their eggs are more in demand during the winter season. Lupin Foundation plans to set up 50 poultry units of these chicks in Sewar, Nadbai, Weir, Deeg and Bayana Panchayat Samiti areas during the current financial year.
It has been observed in Bharatpur district in the past that poultry farming for meat production is an unsafe venture, as the death rate of hen’s increases in the changing weather as well as because of their exposure to infectious diseases. This often results in heavy losses in the business.
Mr. Gupta affirmed that the keystone golden variety of chicks, which would be reared exclusively for egg production, would yield double profit to the poultry owners.
Poultry farming for egg production is profitable in Bharatpur district because of its location near big cities, such as Agra, New Delhi, Gurgaon and Faridabad, where the demand for eggs exists throughout the year. Even a marginal farmer can earn profits if he takes up chick rearing along with his agricultural occupation, as the keystone golden variety needs very little medicinal and other related arrangements.
Besides, eggs can be sold even from the sheds raised for chicks, gradually making it a high income yielding occupation. Mr. Gupta expressed the hope that the poultry farming for egg production would prove to be a boon for the villagers, who are confronting high costs of living, unemployment and increasing prices of agricultural inputs.
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