The group is preparing to further expand its areas of interest if the political situation provided that the political situation in the country improves. “Our next plan is to open a meat processing factory in Pokhara or Chitwan. We are waiting for favorable political environment in the country,” Dr Bhattarai added. [break]
We have become immensely successful to achieve our target of becoming a leading poultry industry in the country -- a dream that we had conceived when we began Pancharatna Feeds 15 years ago, Dr Bhattarai, who is the managing director of Pancharatna Group, told myrepublica.com on Wednesday.
The group, which is one of the leading names in the nation´s poultry industry, is involved in hatchery, farming of layers and broiler chicken and feeds production besides dealing with poultry related medicines, nutrients, vaccines and equipments.
Pancharatna Hatchery, Bramhapur Poultry, Siddhidevi International, Purwanchal Poultry, Ruchi Poultry, Pashchimanchal Poultry, Eastern Poultry and Pancharatna Feeds are the subsidiary companies under the Pancharatna Group.
Today, production volume of Pancharatna Feeds has reached to 100 tons per day from hardly 5 tons a day when it started operation about one and a half decades ago.
“We are the largest traders of vaccine for poultry and the third largest trader of poultry nutrients and medicines,” Dr Bhattarai informed.
Pancharatna Hatchery produces 40,000 broiler and 12,000 layer chicks per week. The group has been producing broiler chicken from Ruchi Poultry in Pokhara and eggs from Saptari-based Purwanchal Poultry -- the largest poultry farm in the country - and Pashchimanchal Poultry in Kohalpur.
“Poultry farmers prefer chicks produced in our farms because we are conscious in maintaining quality. Farmers are even ready to pay high prices for our products,” Dr Bhattarai added.
Total investment in the group has today elevated to Rs 450 million from Rs 3.3 million that Dr Bhattarai and his friends had invested in Pancharatna Feeds 15 years ago. The group has invested Rs 100 million in Pancharatna Hatchery and Feeds, Rs 20 million each in Siddhi Devi Trading and Brahmapur Poultry, Rs 50 million in Ruchi Poultry and Rs 80 million each in Purwanchal, Pashchimanchal and Eastern Poultry. The group currently employs more than 250 people and is preparing to add 100 more within a year.
The group will be able to produce around 400,000 pieces of eggs per day once all its layers farms run in full capacity after a year. Daily production of eggs in the country currently hovers around 1.3 million pieces.
The largest poultry producer in the country contributes around Rs 2.2 million to state coffer every year as taxes. The yearly turnover of the group is well over Rs 600 million.
Poultry industry in the country has scaled new heights over the last 15 years. The growth has been so phenomenal that local poultry products have replaced imports of poultry products.
“We have now become self-dependent in poultry products. It is a big achievement of Nepali poultry farmers,” he added.
Now that the country has become self-sufficient in poultry products, Dr Bhattarai said there was a need to explore international market for Nepali poultry products.
“At present, per capita consumption of eggs and chicken hover around 50 pieces and 3 kg respectively, which is far lower than the Asian standard,” Dr Bhattarai, who is also a poultry researcher, said.
Per capita consumption of eggs and chicken stands at 150 pieces and 120 kg respectively in Asia.
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