Balkh poultry industry starting to reap the benefits of govt programs

The Balkh Provincial Department of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock says that chicken farming in the province has increased dramatically in the past few years and currently there are about 10.45 million chickens hatched in the province annually.

The department said that feed for the egg-laying hens and broilers (chickens bred for meat production) has also become a key industry in the poultry sector in the province.

This sector has also grown exponentially over the past five years as a result of support and cooperation from the provincial directorate of agriculture, officials said.

Mohammad Salam Saye, head of the Balkh Agriculture Directorate said so far more than $15 million has been invested in the poultry sector in the province.

Currently, there are more than 1,000 small, medium and large poultry farms in Balkh province and about 15 tons of chicken meat is sold on the market daily, while about 20 million eggs are laid annually in the province.

According to the department, some chickens are imported by farmers from Pakistan, Iran and Uzbekistan to produce meat.

Saye meanwhile said that Balkh poultry farms meet the province’s market demand for chicken and at the same time, chicken meat is exported from Balkh to neighboring provinces.

Poultry farmers say that with the onset of winter, production of chicken for consumer use will decline mainly due to the high cost of electricity.

Government implemented a tariff system on imported chicken and eggs a few years ago in order to boost the local sector – a move that has since started to pay off.