Odisha is expected to be able to produce 100 lakh eggs per day by 2020.
Fisheries and Animal Resources Development (FARD) Secretary Bishnupada Sethi reviewed the investment in the poultry sector and the production in the allied sectors with officials and stakeholders on Saturday.
Keeping in view the rising demand of eggs in Odisha and the dependence on neighbouring Andhra Pradesh and Telangana to meet the shortfall, the FARD Department has taken various measures to increase egg production.
The Government formulated a State Poultry Policy in 2015 with a target to achieve production of 1 crore eggs. The production of eggs has gone up from 34 lakh per day in 2013-14 to 54 lakh eggs in 2015-16, said official sources.
The new policy had aimed to set up more poultry layer farms with a bird capacity of 16.5 lakh during 2015-16, which has been achieved. The demand is growing, and now it is over 70 lakh eggs per day. So, the dependence on Andhra Pradesh and Telangana is still there.
During 2016-17, the Government has a target to set up new and expand the poultry layer farms with a bird capacity of 27 lakh. Out of the 45 projects sanctioned, four have been completed and rest are at implementation stage.
Currently, there are 73 farms with a layer bird capacity of 57 lakh in the State. Sources at the APICOl reveal that go-ahead letters have been issued by different nodal officers for 45 new units and expansion of the existing ones. This would enhance the existing layer capacity by nearly 20 lakh, officials said.
A number of entrepreneurs have applied to set up new layer farms, and it is expected that by March, the applicants would be able to receive the go-ahead letters for setting up the projects.
So, while the2015-16 target was achieved, a similar achievement is expected in 2016-17l by adding a bird capacity of 27 lakh.
And it has been planned to add poultry farms with a bird capacity of 16.5 lakh in 2017-18, and the FARD Department is hopeful of attracting entrepreneurs for setting up of new layer farms.