Ban on Japanese Quail Farming

Japanese Quail Farming is banned/prohibited by Ministry of Environment & Forest Govt. of India vide their letter F.No. 3-3/2011/WL.I dated 22.09.2011 (link).

The letter is addressed to all Secretaries, Wild Life Wardens of all States/UTs for not to issue any new license for farming of Japanese Quail (Corturnix japonica).

National bank for Agriculture & Rural Development (NABARD) has also issued a circular to all concerned banks to this effect. NB.ICD.2504/PPS-9/2011-12 dated 08 Nov. 2011.

Important terms and conditions for Quail license

 

Quail being a protected species, a government license is required to sell it commercially. In India, the Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairy and Fisheries is responsible to grant such license as delegated by the Ministry of Environment and Forests. Several quail licenses have been already issued (more than 500 in Maharashtra State only).

Here are the important terms and conditions for Quail license as per letter No.3-22/84 - FRY (WL) dated 27.06.1997 of Ministry of Environment and Forests, New Delhi: 

Quail farming: Requirements of a bankable project

A detailed project report (DPR) has to be submitted to the bank to apply for a loan. The bank then evaluates the report and assesses it for technical feasibility and economic viability.

Technical feasibility

• Suitability of the site location
  
• Suitability of the local climate
  
• Availability of basic infrastructure and facilities, such as, water, electricity, transport, storage, labor/manpower etc.
  
• Availability of potable water
  
• Availability of veterinary aid and medicines/ vitamins, minerals etc.
  
• Experience and/or training details of the beneficiary (number of birds maintained, number of years of experience/ training if any etc.) in quail farming. The beneficiaries may be individuals, partnership firms, companies, Coops., Corporate bodies, groups etc. In case of no experience in poultry/quail farming, explanation as to how the unit will be managed may be furnished.
  

Quail farming: Obtain bank loan to start a quail farm

To obtain bank loan to start a Japanese quail farm, you - the entrepreneur - should apply in prescribed format to the nearest branch of a commercial, cooperative or regional rural banks (RRBs) in your area.

- You will have to prepare a detailed project report (DPR) and submit it to the bank. The technical officer or the manager of the bank can help or give guidance to you in preparing the project report. Further assistance can be obtained from the technical experts and consultants to prepare the project report.

- The project report should include information on available facilities/infrastructure such as land, water, fencing, electricity, storage and transport, marketing aspects, expertise of the entrepreneurs, and the type of assistance available from the state government and the local corporations/NGOs.

Quail farming: Source of hatchable eggs and chicks

Following are some selected sources of chicks and hatchable eggs in India : 

• University of Agriculture Science, Bangalore/Assam/Hissar/Hyderabad/Chennai
  
• University of Animal & Fisheries Science, Chennai/Nagpur
  
• Veterinary College Chennai
  
• State Livestock & Poultry Development Corporations
  
• State Government Poultry Farm, Itanagar
  
• Central Avian Research Institute (CARI), Izatnagar
  
• Ministry of Defense - R&D Organization Almora, UP
  
• Central Poultry Breeding Farm (CPBF), Chandigarh/Mumbai
  
• Private hatcheries like M/s. VHPL Pune, M/s. Poultry Breeders Pvt. Ltd. New Delhi, M/s. Qutab Hatchery, New Delhi; M/s. AVM Hatcheries Pvt. Ltd. Coimbatore; Poultry & Cattle Farm TISCO, Jamshedpur; M/s. Arvind Hatcheries Hyderabad etc.

Quail farming: How to start a Japanese quail farm?

Quail (coturnix coturnix), commonly known as “bater” in Hindi, is a good source of meat & eggs with high biological value. Commercial quail farming is quite popular in France, Italy, Spain, Japan, Korea, Hong Kong, Germany, UK etc. Large processing plants have been set up in France, Singapore, Italy & Spain.

Quail is a fast growing bird with short generation interval. A broiler quail can be sold at 5 weeks as against 8 weeks in broiler chicken. Quails start producing eggs at about 6 weeks of age & continue to give high egg production up to 24 weeks of age. The meat is considered as delicacy & can be used as ready to cook meat , pickled meat & tandoori quail. The egg size is about 10 g, and it can be used as boiled eggs or egg pickle. The housing requirement is small. About 10 quails can be reared on floor in the same space as is required for one chicken. Mostly, commercial chicks are kept in multitier cages, thereby increasing labor efficiency & better utilization of land-space.