Poultry farming has changed the fortunes of Md Mosharef of Chowkidar Bari in East Dhania village, Dhania union, Bhola Sadar upazila. He now sells around Tk 8-9 lakh worth of chickens wholesale and retail every month, and earns more than a lakh taka a month. Several people also support their families comfortably by working on his farms. Mosharef says his own will and hard work made him a successful farmer.

A visit found that Mosharef has built five broiler farms around his home: one behind the house and four in front. All of them keep broilers, which he buys as chicks and raises. He works alongside his labourers himself, at times feeding the birds, at times giving them water, and cleaning the sheds too.

Mosharef said that after passing his HSC he took a job at a garment factory in Chattogram, where he worked for a long time and saved some money. He then thought of doing something back in his village but could not decide what. He married in 2012, and around 2014 the idea of a broiler farm came to him. He quit his job, returned home and used his savings to build a shed for the farm, along with a chick unit. Midway he ran short of money and took a Tk 50,000 loan from an NGO to buy feed. He then sold chickens, repaid the instalments and still made a good profit.

Mosharef said that after running one farm for a few months he planned another, and within a year he built a second farm and hired a worker. The two put a lot of work into both farms and began to profit from selling chickens. He then built three more farms one after another.

He said he sells 3,000 to 3,500 chickens a month from the five farms, wholesale and retail, for Tk 8-9 lakh. After all costs, including feed and the wages of three workers, about Tk 1 lakh remains as profit. He has not yet received any government support, and says that with some assistance he could build more farms and earn more.

Farm worker Md Rajib said he has worked on Mosharef's farm for about 10 years. He started on a wage of Tk 1,500, and Mosharef now pays him Tk 15,000. He says he has gained a lot of experience over the years and also plans to start a poultry farm.

Another worker, Md Abul Kamal, said he used to work in various places but did not have work every day, and the family struggled. For about three years he has worked on Mosharef's farm on a regular monthly wage of Tk 14,000, which he says keeps his family well.

Bhola District Livestock Officer Md Rafiqul Islam Khan said: "There are thousands of farmers like Mosharef in Bhola district who are earning lakhs of taka from broiler and native chicken farms. We advise everyone for success, and we have also helped many in various ways."

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.