March 22, 2011

 

Nepal's poultry industry to have substantial grow

 

 

In spite of the presence of protracted power cuts and adverse industrial climate, Nepal's poultry sector is on track to register a substantial growth of 24%, recording turnover of over NPR41 billion (US$568.7 million), according to a projection report.

 

The Nepalese media also state that experts involved in the study attributed the whopping growth to double-digit rise in tourist arrivals, fewer incidents of traffic disruption, hassle-free imports of parent chicks as well as impressive rise in consumption.

 

"Given the comparatively favourable situation, we have projected a turnover of NPR41 billion (US$568.7 million), which accounts for over 3.4% of the nation's Gross Domestic Product (GDP)," Dr Til Chandra Bhattarai, a member of the study team, said.

 

Bhattarai, who is also the former president of Nepal Poultry Entrepreneurs' Forum (NPEF), an umbrella organisation of poultry producers, said the number of commercial broilers at farms across the country is expected to go up by 23% to 57.8 million head by the end of the current fiscal year (ending mid-July). Similarly, the number of commercial layers has also been projected to go up by 24% to 5.8 million heads.

 

"Production of broiler chicks has also been projected to surge by 60.8 million head by the end of the current fiscal year," said Bhattarai, who is also the managing director of Chitwan-based Pancha Ratna Group, one of the largest poultry producers in the country. Layers chick production is also expected to reach 6.19 million.

 

Broiler chicken production is estimated to rise by 29% to 107,800 tonnes over the period.

 

"However, production of eggs is expected to go down to 1.11 billion due to shortage of layers chicks," said Bhattarai, who is also the president of World Poultry Science Association, Nepal.

 

Population of parent chicks of broiler is estimated to go up by 37% to 804,000 heads. However, layers parent chick population is seen dropping by 5.7% to 86,000 due to a drop in imports.

 

Production of feed is expected to rise by 11% to 646,000 tonnes by the end of the current fiscal year.

 

"There has been huge fresh investment in big poultry farms in Hetauda, Bhairahawa and Itahari. This is one of the factors behind whopping growth in poultry turnover," Bhattarai said, adding that total investment in the sector has crossed NPR24 billion (US$332.9 million).

 

He continued, "As we have sufficient infrastructures, this sector can expand easily as long as there is favorable business environment."

 

Guna Chandra Bista, a pioneer in Nepal's poultry sector, said feed industry is seeing encouraging investment due to impressive growth of poultry sector that is providing employment to more than 70,000 people across the country.

 

Poultry entrepreneurs, however, are skeptical about sustained growth of the sector given the persisting adverse industrial climate in the country.

 

"Despite impressive growth in recent months and good prospects for the future, we are not in a comfortable situation. Protracted power cuts and deteriorating industrial climate are posing challenges to this sector," Bista added.