Nepal’s poultry industry, which is centred in Chitwan district, has an annual turnover of Rs33.72 billion, according to the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS).

A survey conducted in 2014-15 shows that Chitwan is the largest producer of poultry products in the country with an annual turnover of Rs10.17 billion. Chitwan produces Rs1.97 billion worth of chickens, Rs5.91 billion worth of eggs and Rs2.07 billion worth of fowl. Sales of chicken manure amount to Rs213 million annually.

Badri Karki, director of CBS, said that the study was conducted across the country. “Since 2003, a large number of people have become engaged in commercial poultry farming,” he said.

There are 1,365 broiler and 502 layer farms in Chitwan. These farms rear 9.98 million chickens and produce 12,091 tonnes of meat annually. The industry directly employs 6,868 people in Chitwan.

Chickens are produced commercially in 64 districts in the country and 21,956 people are engaged in the business, the survey shows.

Kavre, Dhading, Kathmandu and Kaski are the major broiler chicken producing districts after Chitwan. Likewise, Chitwan, Makwanpur, Nawalparasi, Dang and Bhaktapur are the key districts producing eggs.

The survey shows that 50 percent of the poultry farms in Chitwan borrow money from banks, financial institutions and cooperatives for capital.

Chicken has become widely popular across the country as it is cheaper compared to other meat products. As a result, the domestic poultry market has been growing rapidly despite several setbacks.

A study conducted by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of Nepal’s poultry sector in 2014 has valued the country’s poultry industry at Rs22 billion.

Chicken production fulfils 13 percent of the country’s meat requirement.

Chicken meat production has taken a great leap forward, doubling from 15,881 tonnes in 2003-04 to 36,085 tonnes in 2010-11. In 2013-14, chicken output swelled to 43,458 tonnes from 40,690 tonnes.

Government officials said that despite snagging on bird flu outbreaks in the past, the poultry sector has been expanding at a faster rate than expected.

In July 2013, the government had banned poultry sales in the Kathmandu Valley and even declared a bird flu emergency in severely affected areas. More than 1.96 million birds were culled following the outbreaks.