Constraints in adoption of broiler and egger unit as an enterprise in Alappuzha district, Kerala

A study was conducted to assess the constraints encountered by the entrepreneurs in establishing broiler and egger nursery units in Alappuzha district. Ninety six participants of the vocational training programmes on “Broiler farming and egger nursery” conducted by KVK-Alappuzha during 2010–2015 in 6 batches were surveyed for the purpose. Out of the 96 respondents, 22 had started the units, 3 discontinued and 19 units are running successfully. Gramapriya, Gramalakshmi and Gramasree were the major breeds adopted in egger nursery units and the breed Vencobb in broiler units. It was found that only full time poultry farmers could sustain the units. A minimum land holding size of 15 cents was found to be essential to establish the units. Majority of the adopters had reared a flock size of 1000 birds per batch for more than two years. The major constraints encountered in egger nursery were, increased feed cost (mean Garretscore of 74.8), nonavailability of quality chicks in time (69.6), and disease incidence during the monsoon (58.3); where as in broiler farming those were high feed cost (74.8), variation in market prices (72.2), and non-availability of chicks at time (63.5). Constraints faced by the trainees under non adopter category were lack of sufficient space (66.8), capital (64.6), and financial and functional support to start the venture.