In Kulpala village of Alamdanga upazila in Chuadanga, a man named Zakir Hossain has built Zakir and Brothers Agro Farm Hatchery. After Tk 8 lakh in running costs, the farm leaves Zakir Hossain a monthly profit of about Tk 3 lakh to Tk 5 lakh.

Zakir Hossain's story began in 2002, when he started the farm with 150 ducks for just Tk 1,600. Seventeen years later, it has grown into a large farm of 250 bigha with more than 12,000 ducks. He has also set up a sheep farm with about 80 sheep, and raises fish as well. As a successful farmer, Zakir Hossain has received the Bangabandhu Agriculture Award.

Zakir collects more than 8,000 to 9,000 eggs a day from the farm, meeting demand for eggs in Chuadanga, Meherpur, Kushtia, Jhenaidah and nearby districts. Egg sales bring in Tk 60,000 a day, or Tk 18 lakh a month, of which the profit is Tk 3 lakh to Tk 5 lakh or more.

Duck meat sales bring in about another Tk 1 lakh a month. From this, Tk 8 lakh a month goes on duck feed, staff salaries and other costs, leaving Zakir Hossain a monthly profit of about Tk 3 lakh to Tk 5 lakh. It sounds like a dream, but it is real.

Beyond eggs, the farm now has 19 incubators for hatching ducklings, which can hatch 29,000 ducklings a month. Two kinds of ducks are kept, for eggs and for meat. Twelve sheds have been built on several bigha of land for the 12,000 ducks, and 24 workers look after the farm.

Farm manager Yasin Sheikh said he joined the farm seven years ago, when it was not so big; it has been expanded gradually. Mainly ducks and fish are raised here. Ducklings are hatched and reared on the farm, and ducklings are also sold. Ducks start laying at four months old, and one duck lays 200 to 250 eggs a year. Each egg sells for Tk 7 to Tk 7.50.

He said the farm now also keeps turkeys, quails, goats, sheep and fish, as well as various species of birds, and has created jobs for about 35 to 40 people.

Farm worker Masura Khatun said she collects eggs from every shed on the farm. Her salary pays for her children's education and the household. Every day many people come from surrounding areas to see the duck farm. Zakir Hossain advises others on setting up farms, and seeing his success, many young people in the area have started small farms of their own.

Masud Rana, who prepares and gives feed to the ducks, said: "I came here from Rajshahi for work. We stay here 24 hours but we have to work 12 hours. The ducks on our farm are given a feed made with maize and several other ingredients. We feed the ducks twice a day."

Farm owner Zakir Hossain said the start was not easy; today's farm is the result of patience and hard work. But a duck farm can be set up even with little capital, he said, ideally beside a pond, ditch or canal. Many people worry a great deal about duck diseases, but the diseases can be cured with timely treatment. He said he is also thinking of carrying out a mega project in duck rearing.

Dr Sheikh Md Moshiur Rahman, Chuadanga district livestock officer, said it is a good initiative. By rearing ducks at low cost it is possible to earn a great deal as well as tackle unemployment, and Zakir Hossain is the proof.

He said the livestock department is giving advice and support to duck farmers. Because of the strong demand for eggs and ducks, Zakir and other local farmers in the district are making a profit.

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