Commercial pigeon breeding spreads over Rajshahi region

Commercial breeding of different species of pigeons, both fancy breeds and varieties for squab production, has become a source of livelihoods of hundreds of families in the Rajshahi region as the breeders and rearers there have a collection of over 28 lakh pigeons in their farms.

Aside from having a market for being fancy birds, Pigeons help meet up the growing demand for protein. There are thousands of pigeon farms across the country, which have a collection of 310 varieties of pigeons. However, the domestic market sells around a hundred types of pigeons, according to the Rajshahi divisional office of the Department of Livestock Services.

Uttam Kumar Das, director of Divisional Livestock Office, Rajshahi, told The Business Post that over 27.61 lakh pigeons are being commercially reared in the eight districts of the division. Of which, over 3.37 lakh pigeons are being bred in Rajshahi, 5.69 lakh in Natore, 12.20 lakh in Naogaon, 1.15 lakh in Chapainawabganj, 2.85 lakh in Sirajganj, 9.9 thousand in Bogra, and 1.89 lakh in Joypurhat, he said.

Golam Mostafa, livestock officer at Natore Livestock Office, said the district has 250 to 300 commercial pigeon farms, which rears over 17 species of pigeons, such as Jacobin, Bukhara, Indian Lakkha, Lahore, Bombay, Beauty, Homa, Sirazi, Giribaz, Turibaz, King, Basi Raj Coca, Mukkhi, American Fantail, German Shield and Sartin.

“A couple of pigeons aged under 45 days can be sold between Tk 2,000 to Tk 10,000 of these breeds. Around 5,000 families in Natore are involved in commercial pigeon farming, which rears over 1.80 lakh pigeons,” said the livestock officer.

During a recent visit to a pigeon farm at village Adimpur in Singra of Natore, this correspondent found a septuagenarian pigeon rearer, Abu Syed, who has been commercially rearing pigeons for the past five years.

“I used to rear pigeons as a hobby earlier. After retiring from my job, I started to commercially rear pigeons in December 2016 with ten couples of pigeons, which initially cost me Tk 23,000. I now earn Tk 1 lakh a month excluding all costs,” he said.

Abu Syed has established an 84 feet long and 18 feet wide farm in his homestead, which has over 30 species of pigeons, such as Jacobin, Bukhara, Indian Lakkha, Lahore, Bombay, Beauty, Homa, Sirazi, Giribaz, Turibaz, King, Basi Raj Coca, Mukkhi, American Fantail, German Shield and Sartin.

“With the earnings that I make from selling pigeons, I cultivate different varieties of crops on 19 bighas of land and do pisciculture in five ponds,” he said.

He told The Business Post that traders from across the country, such as Gazipur, Rajshahi, Bogura, Pabna, Sirajganj and the capital, visit his farm and buy the bird as per their choice.

“I sell my pigeons for Tk 3,000 to Tk 40,000 based on their quality and purpose. Some buy the birds for consumption and some for the hobby,” he added.