‘At 21%, Bengal achieves highest egg production in the country’
Kolkata: The growth rate in egg production in Bengal, which is presently 21 per cent, is the highest in the country, state Animal Resources Development (ARD) minister Swapan Debnath said during the question answer session at the state Assembly on Tuesday.
The minister said that the state took significant strides towards becoming self-reliant in egg production and cutting down imports from other states.
“The state presently needs 1,528 crore eggs annually which is increasing on a daily basis. In the financial year 2022-23, the state imported 64.6 crore eggs from other states. However, in the year 2023-24, the state achieved self-sufficiency with a total production of 1,581.77 crore eggs,” Debnath said in response to a question from TMC MLA Samir Jana.
As per data of the state ARD department, in the 2023-24 fiscal, the total egg production in the domestic/ unorganised sector is 798.29 crore; production through private players is 736.38 crore.
The West Bengal Livestock Development Corporation produces 47 crore taking the total production to 1581.77 crore which is more than the present consumption demand of the state. The state ARD department came up with five state-of-the-art, environmentally controlled mega Commercial Layer Farms, each having a capacity of 3 lakh birds at Mekhligunj (Cooch Behar), English Bazar (Malda), Purulia, Salboni (West Midnapore) and Haringhata (Nadia).These five government poultry farms are expected have started egg production. This has contributed to stopping import from other states.
According to recommendations by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), a person needs to consume 180 eggs and 10.5 kg meat annually.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in October 2021 had announced the government’s decision to accord high priority to the poultry sector with the objective of making 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.
