Vikas Kumar
Sri Vijaya Puram, 02 June 2025
In a bid to boost income generation among farmers, the Department of Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Services (AH&VS) has intensified efforts to promote duck farming across the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The initiative, which aligns with the growing tourism industry, offers farmers a promising opportunity to diversify their income through culinary ventures centered around duck meat and eggs.
To support this goal, the department has been supplying high-quality ducklings—both egg-laying and meat-producing varieties—from its network of duck farms established across the Union Territory. However, the regular replenishment of parent stock, crucial for maintaining the supply of ducklings, had been disrupted in recent years due to challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic and outbreaks of Avian Influenza in several Indian states.
This disruption led to a noticeable decline in duckling production, even as demand surged across the islands, including in remote regions like Nicobar.
To address the shortfall, the department has now initiated the replacement of parent stock with fresh supplies from the Central Poultry Development Organization in Hesaraghatta, Karnataka. The first batch of new parent stock ducklings is expected to arrive by the end of June 2025.
Once these ducks reach their laying phase—typically 20 to 24 weeks after arrival—the department anticipates producing 5,000 ducklings of each variety every week. In the interim, to avoid delays in supply, the department has also arranged for the procurement of commercial duck eggs from reliable sources. These eggs will be incubated at hatcheries located across the islands.
The Central Hatchery at Dollygunj has already received an initial batch of 4,000 duck eggs, with the first hatch expected in June. The resulting ducklings will be distributed to farmers across the UT.
This comprehensive plan is expected to revitalize the Duck Development Programme and significantly benefit the farming community, according to a press release from the Department of AH&VS.