IMPACT OF COVID-19 ON COMMERCIAL BROILER FARMING IN SAMTSE DISTRICT

Abstract

The study was designed to assess the impact of covid-19 on broiler farming in Samtse dzongkhag. Ninety-three broiler farmers were randomly selected and interviewed face to face using a set of semi-structured questionnaires. More than half of the respondents (72.7%) mentioned that the broiler farms have been temporarily discontinued, while some respondents (24.7%) have continued and have quit broiler farming (1.1%) after the covid-19 pandemic. Consequently, the broiler population in 2020 has decreased by about 30% compared to 2019. Before the pandemic, about half of the farms were micro-farms (52.7%), semi-commercial farms (46.2%), and commercial farms (1.1%) were operational, however during covid-19, more than half were micro-farms (78.5%) and semi-commercials broiler farms (21.5%). A significant association was found in the scale of broiler farming during covid-19 compared to the past (χ2(2) =14.118, p=0.001. About half of the respondents (46.2%) considered broiler farming as the primary source of income for the farmers, followed by betel nut (32.3%) and vegetable farming (21.5%) before the pandemic. However, during the pandemic, more than half of the respondents (59.1%) stated that betel nut is the primary source of income, followed by vegetables (40.9%). All the respondents mentioned that the availability of feed and getting day-old chicks on time during covid-19 owing to the national lockdown (restricted movement) were the major constraints to continuing and sustaining broiler farming. Besides, all respondents mentioned that the market access to sell broiler meat became increasingly challenging during covid-19 when compared to the past. Thus, it is suggested that the government has to devise an appropriate strategy, post pandemic measures and support to encourage the broiler farming communities to revive, promote and sustain broiler farming in the country. To revive, promote, and sustain broiler-farming communities post-pandemic, a combination of financial support, market development, training and education, research and development, infrastructure development, encouragement of small-scale farming, and partnership and collaboration can help to revive, promote and sustain broiler-farming communities post-pandemic.