Poultry farming is fast catching up in the district with thrust given for Scheme for Poultry Development (SPD) by the government.
The target under SPD for 2014-15 is 50 farms with 5,000 broiler chicken each. Ten farmers have so far put up farms and chicks have been delivered to them.
Ashok Kumar of Karaivetti Parathur village in Thirumanur panchayat union is one of the beneficiary under the SPD scheme. First batch of 5,189 chicks were delivered to his farm in July by Shanthi Feeds Ltd. of Coimbatore. In 45 days, he turned out 5,002 chicken each weighing 2.144 kg (total 10,723 kg). He is now rearing second batch of chicks.
“I got a loan of Rs. 8.25 lakh for the farm. The State government has given a subsidy of Rs 2.06 lakh and the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) has provided a backend subsidy of Rs. 2.06 lakh. I earned Rs. 65,000 profit in the first batch,” he told District Collector E. Saravanavelraj who visited his farm on Wednesday.
“I find broiler chicken farming profitable,” he said. Mr. Ashok Kumar has been practising integrated farming with fish pond, poultry farm, paddy, and horticulture. “I am planning to put up a dairy farm,” he told the Collector, who appreciated his efforts.
“Ashok Kumar and his wife, who are not graduates, have evinced interest in integrated farming and is successfully doing it. This proves that there is no need to be an agriculture or veterinary graduate to do integrated farming. Only need is enthusiasm, commitment, and confidence. Broiler chicken farming is a boon to farmers of Ariyalur district which is a backward district,” Mr. Saravanavelraj said.
Annamalai, son of Perumal of Venganur village in Thirumanur panchayat union, got 5,270 chicks in the first batch. He supplied 5,005 birds (white leghorn variety) to Shanthi Feeds Ltd. “I got loan from Primary Agriculture Co-operative Credit Society (PACCS) and subsidy from Tamil Nadu Government and NABARD,” Annamalai said.
G. Selva Perumal, Joint Director of Animal Husbandry, Ariyalur district, said there had not been any incidence of bird flu in the district so far and steps had been taken to prevent its outbreak.
Minimum requirements,
funding pattern
G. Selva Perumal, Joint Director of Animal Husbandry, Ariyalur district, says 5,000 sq. ft. area was needed for putting up a broiler chicken farm of 5,000 birds each.
At the rate of Rs. 200 expense per sq. ft., a sum of Rs. 10 lakh was required. Another Rs. 75,000 was required for feed and putting up water equipment.
The State government was extending a front end subsidy of Rs. 2,68,750.
This amount was given as soon as the farm was ready. NABARD provided a back end subsidy amount of Rs. 2,68,750.
Of Rs. 10.75 lakh cost of the unit, Rs. 9,67,500 came in the form of bank loan.
Remaining 10 per cent was the beneficiary share. Loan and subsidy amount vary depending up the unit cost.
