Srinagar, Mar 09: The poultry sector in Kashmir is facing significant infrastructural constraints, including the absence of local hatcheries and poultry feed manufacturing units, forcing farmers to rely heavily on the import of day-old chicks and feed from outside the Union Territory.
Officials from the Animal Husbandry Department said that the lack of specialised and quality-controlled hatcheries in the region has made it difficult for farmers to procure chicks locally. As a result, the sector remains dependent on imports, substantially increasing production costs for poultry farmers.
According to officials, day-old chicks worth around Rs 8.5 crore have been imported so far to meet demand in the region, with a considerable share allocated to Pulwama district, which hosts a large number of poultry farms.
Departmental data indicates that Pulwama district has nearly 15,000 poultry farms, but only around 500 are currently operational. Many farm units temporarily suspend operations during the winter months from November to March, citing the high cost of day-old chicks, expensive poultry feed and fluctuating market conditions as major challenges.
Officials, however, dismissed reports suggesting that around 2,000 poultry farms in Pulwama have shut down permanently, clarifying that most closures are seasonal and that operations typically resume once conditions improve.
In areas such as Khrew, Wuyan and Pampore, nearly 25 poultry farms with capacities ranging from 5,000 to 10,000 birds each continue to operate, indicating that the sector remains active despite the prevailing difficulties.
The Animal Husbandry Department said it is providing technical guidance to farmers and facilitating treatment for poultry diseases. The department also conducts capacity-building programmes and supplies vaccines—including F1, Lasota and IBD Extra—to prevent disease outbreaks in poultry farms.
To strengthen the sector, the department is offering financial assistance in the form of subsidies for establishing commercial broiler farms, layer farms, litter-mother units, free-range poultry units and poultry feed manufacturing facilities. The initiative aims to reduce dependence on imports of both chicks and feed.
Officials said awareness programmes are also being organised to encourage farmers to diversify into layer farming, breeder farming and value addition of poultry meat, including deboning and the utilisation of by-products such as feathers, skin and shanks.
They emphasised that the establishment of modern hatcheries and feed manufacturing units within the Union Territory will play a crucial role in reviving and strengthening Kashmir’s poultry sector while reducing reliance on outside markets.
