March 12, 2010

Indian state seeks action plan to achieve egg and meat self-sufficiency

Kerala, in south-western India, needs an action plan combining homestead and commercial production to achieve self-sufficiency in eggs and poultry meat.

According to Kerala State Poultry Development Corporation (KSPDC) managing director, V. Sunilkumar, though there was immense scope to promote egg production through backyard farming involving rural women, there was a need to explore possibilities of commercial production in areas with suitable agro-climatic conditions like Palakkad, Kannur and Thrissur.

He proposed commercial production through Kudumbasree units with a Rs0.2 lakh subsidy per unit. According to reports, he suggested promotion of backyard production in Idukki, Wayanad, Kozhikode, Pathanamthitta, Kollam and Alappuzha.

The annual internal production of eggs in the state was 150.02 crore against a demand of 450 crore. The balance eggs are sourced from neighbouring states, especially Tamil Nadu.

Meanwhile, KSPDC is trying to boost internal production through farmers. Considering that the consortium of outside players is reaping huge profit at the expense of our farmers and consumers, it is high time the government intervened in the broiler industry now worth Rs.1,200 crore, Sunilkumar said.

KSPDC started a poultry feed plant at Kottiyam and moves were on to establish another at Kudappanakunnu. The corporation is due to open the first fair price druggists and chemists shop soon and efforts are on to launch a technical service centre for farmers.

Value-added poultry products like marinated chicken and sausage would be launched soon too, according to Sunilkumar.