Ducks flap their wings and float along a canal. Then Hossain Ali, 63, arrives with food and they rush towards him. Smiling, he feeds the hungry birds, as he does every day. He lives in Bhadar village in Tarash upazila of Sirajganj.

Hossain Ali told Jago News he has reared ducks for about 12 years and looks after them himself. He has 600 ducks of various breeds, of which around 200 are currently laying. They are fed twice a day.

He feeds them paddy, because ducks lay more eggs and keep a good weight on it. The ducks are also regularly let out into canals and beels. He said he started with one or two ducks as a hobby, but now the ducks support his household.

Local grocer Keramat Ali told Jago News that Hossain Ali has raised his family's income considerably by rearing ducks. Demand for local duck eggs and meat is very high in town, so many people come to his house to buy ducks and eggs.

District livestock officer Dr Gouranga Kumar Talukder told Jago News that duck rearing does not need much labour. Let out, ducks can find their own food, and paddy and rice bran can be given to meet extra needs. Ducks usually start laying at five months, and they can be reared with a small investment, he said.

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