Satkhira govt poultry farm suffers from lack of activities

FE Team | Published: December 28, 2014 00:00:00 | Updated: November 30, 2026 06:01:00

Our Correspondent
JHENIDAH, Dec 27: Government Poultry Rearing Unit, Satkhira has been remaining inactive for the last one year causing a great loss both to the govt. and small poultry farmers in and around the district.
Sources concerned with the farm observed that three-fold loss is happening as the unit remains absolutely out of activities for long. Though the government is paying salaries to the officer and staff working here regularly, it is getting no revenue in return and youths who used to rear poultry taking from the farm are presently leading jobless lives.
Sources said the govt. took a project to upgrade the rearing unit to a poultry hatchery and construction of necessary infrastructure for the purpose has been completed. Equipment including four incubators has been purchased. However, for lack of use they are going to be damaged, sources added.
When the unit was in operation, farmers could buy poultry at cheaper govt. rate. Two-months-old chicks were supplied for Tk. 35 per piece, whereas same aged birds are sold at higher rates by private farms.
The unit was established on three acres of land at Rasulpur of Satkhira municipality in 1981 under Rural Poultry Development Project financed by Netherlands and began its activities in 1986. Later, it was transferred to revenue sector.
The post of the poultry development officer (PDO) in the unit is lying vacant and now upazila livestock officer (ULO), Satkhira Sadar is in additional charge.
With a total area of 1,050 square feet for rearing purpose, 2,000 day-old chicks can be reared here.
The valuable equipment installed in the farm include two generators, one solar machine, two motor pumps, one freeze, two spray machines and one distilled water plant. However, they are getting rust due to lack of use.
Shafiqul Islam, a beneficiary farmer of village Lapsa under the municipality, told the Financial Express that he is being hampered due to closure of the farm for a long time.
While contacted, Dr Biplabjit Karmakar, ULO, Satkhira Sadar told this correspondent, "I talked to the State Minister for Fisheries and Livestock Narayan Chandra Chand at the Circuit-house, Satkhira a few days back and urged him to restart at least the rearing unit as soon as possible."
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Dr Shishir Kumar Biswas, DLO, Satkhira told the FE over cell phone that the rearing unit could not be started due to vacancy of the post of the PDO.