‘By March 2024, state to be self-sufficient in production of eggs for its consumption’

Kolkata: In a significant stride towards becoming self-sufficient in egg production, the state Animal Resources Development (ARD) department is coming up with five state-of-the-art, environmentally controlled mega commercial layer farms, each having a capacity of 3 lakh birds at Mekhliganj (Cooch Behar), English Bazar (Malda), Purulia, Salboni (West Midnapore) and Haringhata (Nadia).

These five government poultry farms are expected to start egg production from December 2023 onwards and by March 2024, are expected to together contribute an additional 46 crore eggs annually.

Moreover, under the West Bengal Incentive Scheme, a total of 156 private poultry projects have been set up. Of these, 107 units have already started egg production, adding 141 crore eggs per year to the state’s production. The remaining 49 poultry units in the private sector are expected to start production within this financial year and bring in an additional 86 crore eggs per annum.

During 2020-21, the state was importing about 400 crore eggs annually.

Today, as a result of the multi-pronged action taken by the state, there has been an appreciable rise in poultry egg production and the egg import has fallen from 400 crore eggs per annum to 65 crore per annum within 2 years.

“The state’s demand for eggs has been estimated at 1440 crore per annum. By March 2024, we will be self-sufficient in the production of eggs required for our consumption with 46 crore eggs to be procured from the government and 86 crore from the private sector,” Swapan Debnath, state ARD minister said.

The state expects to start exporting eggs to other regions from the year 2024-25.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in October 2021, announced the government’s decision to accord high priority to the poultry sector to make the state self-sufficient in egg production in a time-bound manner, considering the state’s rising demand for eggs, especially the requirements of mid-day meals, ICDS centres, etc. Poultry eggs are the cheapest source of animal protein.

“The annual budgetary allocation for the backyard poultry sector, comprising individual beneficiaries and women’s Self-Help Groups, has been tripled; from Rs 33 crore in 2018-19 to Rs 111 crore in 2023-24. Direct employment has been provided to more than 14 lakh persons in the last two years alone,” a Nabanna official said.

Bengal today ranks as the country’s fourth largest producer of poultry eggs, the largest producer of goat meat and the third largest producer of all meat products (as per the Government of India’s published data).