Coimbatore:
In search of alternatives to broiler chicken eggs, a growing number of egg lovers are shifting to quail eggs. Thanks to the trend, many of the traditional poultry farmers in the district,
who have taken up quail farming,
are reaping profit.
Jany Rebecca Arunkumar, a former business development officer in the corporate world, first came across quail eggs when her daughter’s skating coach recommended it in her diet. “I began hunting for quail eggs and buying them from the market, not knowing if they were genuine. Many got spoilt and broke also. I bought some parent birds, which laid eggs. A few of them hatched. In two years, my business grew to produce 100 eggs a day to 1,000 a day. I have now set up a hatchery to breed quail chicks and get a lot of enquiries from farmers and entrepreneurs wanting to buy the chicks,” she told TOI.
The Veterinary University Training Centre at Saravanampatti conducts four training sessions a year for farmers interested in Japanese quail farming. “We decide our training sessions based on enquiries. There is a growing interest in quail farming,” professor and head of the centre Sivakumar said. “Quails are easy to maintain, start laying eggs in 28 days and can be sold for meat when they reach 44 days,” he said. “Quail eggs also sell for a good price at the farm gate.”
While Arunkumar supplies to many department and grocery stores, Pollachi-based Hari started Quail Plus to supply quail meat and quail eggs.
“Quail meat sells for about Rs 400 per kg, which makes it as expensive as mutton,” said a meat shop owner on Brookebond Road. “Kadai meat is a popular starter and side dish. So, a bird that hardly weighs 150gm to 200gm sells for Rs 35 to Rs 40.”
Quail egg, which sells for Rs 2.50 to Rs 5 per in shops, is said to have a higher quantities of protein and vitamin B1. “The majority of people, who buy quail eggs, are mothers of young children and toddlers. Children like the small-sized eggs,” said an employee of Pazhamudhir Nilayam.
“Many people hailing from Kerala also buy quail eggs, because they are already familiar with it,” Arunkumar added.
