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TANGAIL: After spending six years working in Saudi Arabia, Shamim Al Mamun returned home with a dream of becoming an entrepreneur. Inspired by a television programme and later by online videos about quail farming, he started a small quail farm in his village in Sakhipur upazila.
Today, Shamim is a successful quail farmer and earns around Tk 3 lakh a month by producing and selling quail chicks.
A resident of Kachua village, Shamim became interested in quail farming while working abroad. He returned to Bangladesh in 2011 and travelled to Bogura, where he received hands-on training from experienced quail farmers.
In 2012, he started his farm, named Sonar Bangla Sonali and Quail Hatchery, on 20 decimals of land beside his home with 500 quail chicks. His wife has also been providing him with support in running the business.
Through hard work and proper management, the number of quails at the farm rose to around 12,000 within three years. As news of his success spread, people from different parts of the country began visiting the farm to learn about quail farming.
Shamim currently has around 16,000 breeding quails. He collects between 10,000 and 12,000 hatching eggs every day. The eggs are placed in incubators for 17 days before the chicks hatch.
He supplies around 200,000 quail chicks every month to farmers in different districts. Each chick is sold for Tk 7-8, generating a profit of around Tk 2-3 per chick. Overall, his monthly income now stands at around Tk 3 lakh.
Shamim said his business was doing well until 2020, when the Covid-19 pandemic caused significant financial losses. While many farmers were forced to close their businesses, he looked for a new opportunity.
In 2023, he launched a quail hatchery, which gave his business fresh momentum. Since then, he has continued to expand the operation.
The farm now employs five workers who help with feeding the birds, collecting eggs and other daily tasks. Shamim has also installed a generator to keep production running during power outages and a machine to produce feed for the birds.
His success has inspired many others to consider quail farming. People from different parts of the country regularly visit his farm and seek his advice on starting their own businesses.
“I came to seek advice from Shamim bhai on setting up a quail farm. He became self-reliant within a short time with a relatively small investment. I hope to become financially independent by following his advice,” said visitor Asha Jewel Mia.
Another visitor, Junaid Hossain, said he was impressed by the farm and was considering starting his own quail business after receiving advice from Shamim.
According to the Sakhipur Upazila Livestock Office, quail farming can be a profitable business. Layer quails start laying eggs six to seven weeks after hatching and can continue producing eggs for around 18 months. Broiler quails, meanwhile, can be marketed within just four weeks.
A quail can produce an average of 280-300 eggs a year. The livestock office said the sector could create employment and encourage the growth of new entrepreneurs, although farmers are likely to benefit more if they establish farms in areas with strong consumer demand.
Sakhipur Upazila Livestock Officer Saidur Rahman said quail farming was a promising sector. Quail eggs and meat are nutritious and comparatively low in cholesterol, while vaccines used for chickens can also be used to treat quails.
“Shamim Al Mamun is an exemplary successful entrepreneur in this upazila. Many people have chosen quail farming as a means of self-employment,” he said.
Rahman said his office would provide government support along with training to people interested in quail farming and encouraged unemployed young people to consider the sector as a livelihood option.