The Punjab government has launched a new initiative to promote the breeding of large exotic birds, including ostriches and turkeys, in an effort to diversify meat sources in the province.

“We have recently established the first modern ostrich breeding center at Lahore’s Safari Park to ensure local egg production and hatching of this South African-origin bird,” said Dr. Sajjad Hussain Kashfi, Director General of the Punjab Livestock Department.

Talking to Wealth Pakistan, he said the center aims to incubate and breed ostriches locally, reducing reliance on imports and paving the way for self-sufficiency. The initiative is also expected to support the future supply of ostriches to zoos and commercial breeders across the province.

The DG livestock expressed confidence that the project will not only expand alternative meat production but also create new economic opportunities for farmers and investors in the livestock sector.

Dr Kashfi noted that this is the second major initiative taken by the provincial government in a decade to promote ostrich farming in the region. He recalled that in 2019, the Punjab government launched a scheme to promote commercial ostrich farming with the support of the Poultry Research Institute (PRI), Rawalpindi, and the University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore.

“We have also been facilitating farmers in the import of breeding stock from South Africa and Australia,” he added. Besides ostriches, the livestock official said that PRI is also providing in-house and on-site training to farmers in turkey rearing. “Turkey farming in Pakistan has largely grown through the private sector rather than through direct government schemes,” Dr. Kashfi said.

However, private ostrich breeding companies are demanding the restoration of subsidies for ostrich farming, saying it could significantly revive the sector. “The subsidy provided by the Punjab government in 2016 was instrumental in the establishment of 450 ostrich farms in Punjab within just a couple of years,” said Raja Tahir Latif, Chief Executive Officer of Pakistan Ostrich Company.

Talking to Wealth Pakistan, he said around 17,000 ostrich chicks were imported from South Africa and Australia during that period. “A subsidy of Rs10,000 per bird was a strong incentive for this newly introduced sector in Punjab,” he added. However, he regretted that a change in government in 2018 led to the discontinuation of the subsidy, forcing many farmers to sell their farms, while some resorted to slaughtering ostriches to sell the meat.

Latif said the provincial government at the time had also supported the promotion of ostrich meat by establishing meat shops in 30 cities across Punjab. He added that the Covid-19 pandemic and the devastating floods of 2022 severely affected the sector, wiping out most ostrich farms in the province. Currently, he said no more than a dozen ostrich farms remain operational in Punjab and Sindh.

“The total population of ostriches in Pakistan has dwindled to around 1,000,” he lamented. He said the number of ostrich meat shops in Pakistan has now dropped to just a few, while the price of ostrich meat has surged to Rs3,500 per kilogram from Rs1,500 in 2018.

Similarly, the price of an ostrich chick, which stood at Rs15,000 in 2018, has risen to Rs35,000. Hatching has now become a lucrative business, as 20 chicks can fetch up to Rs800,000. The price of an adult ostrich, which was Rs50,000 in 2018, has increased to Rs150,000.

“The revival of the ostrich sector can bring down the prices of live birds and meat significantly,” he said. Latif maintained that turkey farming cannot yet be carried out on a large commercial scale in Pakistan, as turkeys are typically reared as grazing birds. “Unlike ostriches, turkey meat has not gained popularity in Pakistan; it is mostly consumed by foreigners,” he said.

Credit: INP-WealthPk