Chick production to top 10 m
Indunil HEWAGE
Local chick production is projected to rise up to 10 million per
month by the end of 2012 due to changing consumer buying behaviours,
booming tourism industry and post war economic rebound. Local poultry
has also seen a moderate growth during the last couple of years and we
expect to retain this growth by the end of this year, Pussalla Meat
Producers Managing Director Dilshan Wewita said.
Pussalla Meat is the only vertically integrated poultry company in
Sri Lanka and the monthly chick production of the company is 1.4
million. By the end of 2012, the company is expected to produce 2
million chicks per month. With that, Pussalla will be able to increase
its market share up to 30 percent in the respective segment. Pussalla is
on one billion investment drive to increase the production capacity of
egg hatchery and other related segments. As a part of its rapid
investment plan, company entered into a strategic collaboration with the
Hubberd breeders France to produce parent stock in Sri Lanka.
The estimated cost of the project is Rs 300 million and the first
grand parent flock are to be imported to Sri Lanka by August. The 60
percent of the county’s requirement of parent stocks will be produced by
Pussalla Meat though the joint venture project. Sri Lanka has
continually been importing parent stocks and with the new initiative, we
will be able to curtail a large amount of foreign exchange that is
draining out to various countries.
'In addition, we have been able to reduce the cost of the production
to some extent since most of the inputs required to manufacture feeds
are available in Sri Lanka. Maize is the main ingredient used to
manufacture chicken feeds and government has provided more concessions
to maize growers in the country, this has benefited the poultry industry
to a great extent. |