J&K plans poultry expansion as existing farms struggle against cheaper imports

Jammu & Kashmir has proposed 800 commercial and 50,000 backyard poultry units targeting 250 million eggs, despite farm closures and margin pressure after safeguards on out-of-state poultry imports were removed.

— Source publishedThu, 24 Sept, 2026, 18:17 IST·First seen Thu, 24 Sept, 2026, 18:23 IST·Source The Hindu BusinessLine

What happened

Jammu and Kashmir poultry industry · J&K plans 800 commercial and 50,000 backyard poultry units to produce 250 million eggs, even as existing farms face

Key facts

  • 800 commercial poultry units
  • 50,000 backyard poultry units
  • 250 million eggs
  • 85% of local consumption previously met by domestic production
  • ₹9 per kg levy on poultry imports from other states

What changed

J&K plans 800 commercial and 50,000 backyard poultry units to produce 250 million eggs, even as existing farms face closures, thinner margins and competition from cheaper out-of-state poultry after import safeguards were removed.

Why this matters

J&K’s proposed poultry buildout creates scale opportunities, but operators need lower feed, logistics and disease-control costs to survive intensified competition from cheaper interstate suppliers.

What to watch

  • Formal release of subsidy, land, credit, insurance and procurement details for the 800 commercial and 50,000 backyard units.
  • Actual unit registrations, chick placements, hatchery capacity additions and feed-sales growth versus the 250-million-egg target.
  • Farm-closure data, wholesale egg and broiler prices, and spreads between J&K and major interstate source markets.
  • Any reinstatement of import safeguards, veterinary entry restrictions, transport levies or local-preference procurement rules.
  • Avian influenza outbreaks, maize/soymeal price changes and winter transport disruptions affecting poultry economics.