Organic Poultry Farming in India- issues and approaches

Abstract

In the last few decades poultry industry has transformed from mere back yard poultry to commercial farm, but the issues of food safety and quality remains unaddressed. Hence, organic poultry farming has become as an approach to address these issues. This paper attempts to discuss the various issues of organic farming along with necessary interventions required in poultry breeding, feeding, housing and health care management under Indian Scenario. Further, necessary policy interventions were also suggested in order to promote organic poultry farming. The poultry sector of modern India has FAO/WHO Codex Alimentarius Commission transformed from backyard rearing to become defines organic farming as unique production commercial organized, scientific and vibrant industry management system which promotes and enhances in last four decades ago. Poultry sector plays a agro-ecosystem health, including biodiversity, significant role in improving the socio-economic biological cycles and soil biological activity, and this condition of rural masses, by generating gainful is accomplished by using on-farm agronomic, employment and augmenting family income, biological and mechanical methods in exclusion of all particularly among the landless labourers, small and synthetic off-farm inputs. The main aim of organic marginal farmers and women in rural areas. Now day farming is to establish and maintain soil - plant, plant- by day, consumers are becoming more aware of safety animal and animal- soil interdependence and to and quality of food products consumed by them. produce a sustainable agro-ecological system based Further, as Purchasing Power (PP) of common people on the local resources. Organic farming does not is increasing persistently, they are interested to require external inputs (i.e. fertilizer, antibiotics etc.) consume safer product without bothering to pay more. but prominently rely on ecosystem management. The So, the production of safer poultry products without agriculture cycle is in complete without the any chemical and microbial residues is the order of the involvement of domesticated livestock that play a day. On the other hand, emerging importance of major role in cycle under the organic livestock animal (poultry) welfare started showing its adverse production. The establishment of organic animal/ implications for trade at international level, as there is poultry husbandry requires a specific period called as growing argument that intensive cage rearing, forced conversion period. This period is the time taken moulting etc., are unethical and against the animal between the start of the organic management on farm welfare. Therefore, laying greater emphasis on and certification of livestock farm and its product. organic poultry farming can help us to produce safer Changing from conventional to organic management poultry products without compromising the animal system for livestock enterprises requires a careful and (poultry) welfare. The present paper is an attempt to gradual approach. In organic poultry farming the appraise the need for development of organic poultry preference should be given to local breeds. Animal and to provide an assessment of potential must be born to organically managed dams if they are interventions required to promote organic poultry to be slaughtered for organic meat production production in India. (Chander et.al., 2006). Further, maximum care should