Scores of budding entrepreneurs in the district’s Sherpur upazila are generating income, thanks to establishing poultry farms.
What started off as pilot projects by 10 entrepreneurs four years ago, has now turned into 350 poultry farms in total.
According to local livestock department officials, if these poultry farms could be emulated across the country, it could generate more entrepreneurs and enhance food security.
Farmers, on the other hand, are demanding loans at low interest rates to sustain their businesses.
Four years ago, a workshop was organized by the livestock department, led by local veterinary surgeon Dr Raihan, who urged the region’s youths to set up chicken farms for self-employment.
The first 10 entrepreneurs established an organization, “Shopno Chowar Shiri”, which travelled across the district to spread the idea of setting up chicken farms.
Their initiative was a success, the current result of which is, 350 farms in the district. Of them, 100 farms are owned by women entrepreneurs.
Subarna Khatun, one such farmer, was spending a mundane life despite finishing her post graduation in economics from Bogra Government Azizul Haque College. When the organization gave her logistical support, she began a small-scale poultry farm with 10 chickens, but now has over 300.
This has helped her ambition to grow, building a larger farm and a house for her family in the near future.
Abdus Salam, another poultry farmer, earns Tk50,000 from his poultry farm.
Zakaria Hossain, from Shahbandegi union of Sherpur upazila, was one of the 10 initial entrepreneurs. Unemployed for years, he began his poultry farm with 50 chickens, and now has over 1000.
He also produces chicken feed at his farm.
Several other farmers are involved in raising chicks, selling poultry meat or eggs separately, while many farms employ all the said elements.
Chicks aged between 20-30 days are reared in separate sheds, while rearing chickens, roosters, and cockerels, are also done separately.
The chickens aged between 70-75 days are sold off, while the ones aged four to six months are ready to lay eggs. A chicken can lay 20 eggs on an average.
A chicken weighing 1kg costs Tk110-120 to nurture, which can be sold for Tk280-300. Farmers give these feed consisting of corn, rice husk, and other variants.
They are left in the open for a month, to grow naturally. This substantially decreases the production cost.
The organization “Shopno Chowar Shiri” also helps farmers in purchasing feed, finding wholesale buyers for chickens and eggs, as well as providing information on market rates.
Dr Raihan, the veterinary surgeon of Sherpur upazila livestock office, and chief motivator behind the poultry farm project, said the poultry sector has immense potential, as minimal investment is required and can bring significant profits.
