STARTED A HATCHERY AFTER WATCHIGN YOUTUBE

STARTED A HATCHERY AFTER WATCHIGN YOUTUBE

20-APRIL-ENG 12

RAJIV NAYAN AGRAWAL

ARA------------------------------A truly inspiring story of courage and perseverance has emerged from Bhojpur, Bihar. Abhishek Kumar, a resident of Bhojpur, has achieved something truly unconventional—an accomplishment that has not only transformed his own life but has also redefined the lives of many others. During the lockdown, drawing inspiration from YouTube, he launched a small-scale duck and poultry farming venture, which has today evolved into a major industry.

Turning Adversity into Opportunity: During the COVID-19 era—a time when most people were wandering in search of employment—Abhishek, a resident of Koilwar in Bhojpur, successfully transformed adverse circumstances into a golden opportunity. Today, his established hatchery supplies eggs and chicks not only within the district but also to other states, thereby providing employment to hundreds of people and offering farmers the opportunity to become self-reliant.

A Successful Model of Self-Employment: Under the "Atmanirbhar Bharat, Sashakt Bharat" (Self-Reliant India, Empowered India) campaign, Abhishek has created a successful model of self-employment. Initially, the hatchery had a capacity of just 30,000 eggs; however, through sheer hard work and accumulated experience, this capacity has now expanded to 60,000 eggs. Abhishek plans to further increase this capacity to 120,000 eggs in the near future.

An Annual Turnover in Crores: This young entrepreneur revealed that his hatchery produces chicks of various indigenous duck breeds, as well as several indigenous chicken varieties such as Sonali, Kadaknath, Double FG, Layers, and Frizzle Cross. Currently, the annual turnover of this business has reached approximately ₹2.25 crores—an achievement considered to be a monumental success for a rural region.

A Trip to Hyderabad Becomes the Turning Point: The journey began when he traveled to Hyderabad with three friends to appear for an examination. That very trip proved to be the turning point in his life. Upon observing large-scale duck and poultry farms, along with commercial hatcheries there, the idea of ​​starting a similar business in this sector took root in his mind. He observed that large quantities of eggs and chicks were being transported from Hyderabad to Bihar. This very experience inspired him to consider why he shouldn't launch this business within his own state.

"I was a B.Sc. IT student and was preparing for competitive examinations. However, circumstances changed during the lockdown, and I had to return home. It was during that period that I started this poultry and duck farming business." — Abhishek Kumar, Young Entrepreneur

**Providing Employment to Unemployed Youth:** What began initially as a small-scale venture has today evolved into a successful business, generating an annual income of approximately ₹20 lakhs for Abhishek. Moreover, he has provided employment to ten unemployed youths who had previously been working in other states.

**Currently Hatching Chicks from 60,000 Eggs:** Abhishek explains that the hatchery established within his farm is currently incubating approximately 60,000 eggs to produce chicks. Here, chicken chicks hatch in 21 days, while ducklings hatch in 28 days. Once ready, the chicken chicks are sold at a rate of ₹20 to ₹25 per chick, and the ducklings are sold at a rate of ₹30 to ₹35 per duckling.

**100 Farmers Linked to the Business:** Directly associated with Abhishek's enterprise are 100 farmers who procure chicks and eggs from his hatchery; by running their own independent ventures, they are earning substantial profits. Previously, these farmers had to travel to states such as Bengal, Odisha, Jharkhand, and Madhya Pradesh to obtain chicks and eggs; however, they now have access to chicks of all varieties right here at the local level.

"I started this venture after ordering machinery from Delhi. Last season, the market experienced a slight downturn due to weather conditions and the outbreak of Bird Flu; however, business is booming this year. Many people even travel from outside the region to learn the trade here." — Abhishek Kumar, Young Entrepreneur

**Supplying to Multiple Districts and States:** Abhishek, the manager of 'Bihar Duck Farm and Hatchery,' stated that the establishment of this hatchery has brought immense convenience to the farmers of the region. The demand for the chicks and eggs produced here is constantly on the rise. Currently, products from this hatchery are being supplied to numerous districts and states, including Nepal, Kerala, Azamgarh, Ballia (Uttar Pradesh), Chapra, Patna, Vikram, Pali, and Ara.

**Growing Difficulties Due to Lack of Subsidies:** According to Abhishek, he received no financial assistance or subsidies of any kind from the government when starting this venture. He noted that in neighboring states like Jharkhand and Odisha, the Department of Agriculture provides subsidies to promote this type of business. He argues that if the Bihar government were to also introduce provisions for subsidies in this sector, a greater number of young people could join this industry, become self-reliant, and help create new employment opportunity.