Md Salahuddin, a farmer from Kalkinipur upazila in Madaripur, has become financially solvent after he commercially started quail farming, which started off as a hobby at the beginning.
According to locals and family members, Salauddin, who was unemployed at the time, bought only six quails in 2016 which laid eggs everyday which he and his family had for their meals.
Salahuddin saw videos of quail farms, tips and ways to maintain a farm on Youtube on his friend’s cell phone as he did not own one.
Later, at the advice of his mother, he went to Dhaka’s Nimtoli area and bought 300 quails with the money his mother gave him from selling her gold jewelleries.
From 300, his farm has over 3,000 quails now and sells 300 eggs every day. Salahuddin
He even bought a machine which helps to hatch quails. Every 15 days, about 400 quails are hatched in Salahuddin’s farm. He sells the baby quails every two months at Dhaka’s Nimtoli.
Salahuddin has three employees to look after his farm, where local and Australian pigeons are also available.
Apart from that, he has also leased three ponds near his house where he farms Heteropneustesfossilis (Shingmach)and Climbing perch (Koi mach).
Salahuddin said he has become fully self-reliant and was living happily with his family.
He said: “Back in 2016, I went to a nearby market where I saw a boy sitting helplessly with some quails for sale, which touched my heart. I bought six birds from him and brought them home. Later, after watching videos about the bird on Youtube, I decided to start a farm.”
“As I had no money and not even a mobile phone of my own back then, my mother sold her jewelleries and told me to start the farm,” he added.
“If I get any kind of assistance or funds from the government, I will establish a much bigger farm, where many people will be employed and make livelihoods of their own,” he further said.
The district Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) Official Dr AKM Anwarul Haque said: “We usually provide various types of training to people who show interest in starting animal or bird farms. We also provide treatment animals when they become sick.”
“We are ready to provide any assistance to Salahuddin regarding his quail farm.”
