1. Product Description: This is equipment designed for feeding, watering, housing and egg-laying purposes for chickens. The equipment is used to maximize egg production by providing convenient habitation and comfort for the birds. Small and large scale operators can use the equipment.
2. Market Potential: Poultry is mainly an income generating activity practiced by rural and to some extent by urban people. Almost all the poultry supply in the Amhara Region comes from traditional system of poultry farming in which a few chickens are raised in the back-yards of each family. Feeding and housing the chickens is so poor that production is extremely low. Large scale commercial farming of poultry has not yet started in the Region. If the system of poultry farming is modernized and commercialized, this branch of agriculture could be a large source of food and cash income for millions of people. In 2005, the poultry population of the Amhara Region was about 11.2 million which was 31.4 percent of the poultry population of the country. If we assume that at least 40 percent of the poultry birds in the Region are egg-laying, their number is 4.5 million. Each bird needs one poultry equipment at least during its egg-laying period. Hence the potential demand for the equipment is 4.5 million units. If we assume that for the first phase only 10 percent of the birds will be provided with the equipment, the initial demand for the equipment wiil be 450,000. This demand size will accommodate the production of many small plants which could be established in different parts of the Region.
3. Source of raw material: Galvanized iron sheets, mild steel wires and rods are the main inputs. These inputs will be bought from factories in Addis Ababa until the Region produces these products.
4. Process and Technology: G.I. sheets and M.S. wires and rods are cut to size by hand shearing or treadle guillotine shearing machines. Then beading and folding operations are performed in folding and hand press brakes. Then the cut pieces are assembled with suitable fixing arrangement. Machinery required includes geared type hand shearing machine, guillotine shearing machine, roll type edge folding machine, bench grinder and multi-purpose grinder.
5. Estimated Investment: For a plant that will produce about 500 units of the poultry equipment, the investment is estimated as follows:
· Buildings/shade 50m2 at Birr 1500/m2 = Birr 75,000
· Machinery ……………………………= Birr 100,000
· Working capital …………………………… = Birr 50,000
Total…. = Birr 255,000
6. Benefits: Stimulates poultry production, increases food supply and income.
7. Locations: Initially all the capitals of the zones.