Poultry farming is one of the most lucrative forms of farming in Tanzania today. There is a very huge market for poultry products such as meat, eggs, and dung. The cost of starting a poultry farming business in Tanzania depends on the aspect of poultry farming that you want to engage in.
Tanzania is a great place to start a business because there is a high demand for eggs and chicken. Whether you want to start a small-scale or large-scale operation, poultry farming can be a profitable venture. This article tells you about the top 10 poultry farming business ideas, how much they cost, and what they can do for you.
- Layer Poultry Farming – Layers are egg-laying birds that are ideal for commercial egg production. The startup cost of a layer poultry farm varies depending on the scale of operation, but you can start with as little as TSH 3,000,000 ($1,300). The benefits of layer farming include a steady flow of income, low maintenance costs, and relatively low risks.
- Broiler Poultry Farming – Broilers are chicken breeds that are primarily raised for meat production. The startup cost for a small-scale broiler farm can be as low as TSH 2,000,000 ($900). Broiler farming offers several benefits, including a quick return on investment, high demand, and a ready market.
- Hatchery – A hatchery is a facility that incubates and hatches fertile eggs. The startup cost of a small-scale hatchery ranges from TSH 5,000,000 ($2,200) to TSH 10,000,000 ($4,400). The benefits of a hatchery include high returns on investment, a steady market for chicks, and low production costs.
- Quail Farming – Quail farming is a relatively new and lucrative business opportunity in Tanzania. The startup cost for a small-scale quail farm is around TSH 2,000,000 ($900). The benefits of quail farming include high egg production, low production costs, and a ready market for quail meat and eggs.
- Free-range Poultry Farming – Free-range poultry farming involves raising birds without the use of cages or other confinement systems. The startup cost for a small-scale free-range poultry farm is around TSH 5,000,000 ($2,200). The benefits of free-range poultry farming include higher egg production, low production costs, and increased demand for free-range chicken and eggs.
- Duck Farming – Duck farming is another lucrative business opportunity in Tanzania. The startup cost for a small-scale duck farm is around TSH 2,000,000 ($900). The benefits of duck farming include high egg production, low production costs, and a ready market for duck meat and eggs.
- Turkey Farming – Turkey farming is a niche market in Tanzania but can be profitable with the right business plan. The startup cost for a small-scale turkey farm is around TSH 2,000,000 ($900). The benefits of turkey farming include high returns on investment, low production costs, and a ready market for turkey meat.
- Guinea Fowl Farming – Guinea fowl farming is a niche market in Tanzania, but there is a growing demand for guinea fowl meat and eggs. The startup cost for a small-scale guinea fowl farm is around TSH 1,500,000 ($650). The benefits of guinea fowl farming include low production costs, high returns on investment, and a growing market.
- Poultry Feed Production – Poultry feed production is a business opportunity that supports the poultry farming industry. The startup cost for a small-scale poultry feed production plant is around TSH 10,000,000 ($4,400). The benefits of poultry feed production include high returns on investment, a steady market, and low production costs.
- Poultry Health and Medicines – Poultry health and medicine is a business opportunity that supports the poultry farming industry. The startup cost for a small-scale poultry health and medicine store is around TSH 2,000,000
Poultry farming in Tanzania is a profitable business opportunity that offers many benefits, including a consistent income stream, food security, and job creation. With the increasing demand for poultry products in the country, setting up a poultry farm can be a lucrative venture.
To get started with poultry farming, here are the top 10 essential items and their prices in Tanzania:
- Day-old chicks: 500 Tanzanian Shillings per chick
- Brooders: 200,000 – 400,000 Tanzanian Shillings
- Feeders: 8,000 – 20,000 Tanzanian Shillings
- Drinkers: 8,000 – 20,000 Tanzanian Shillings
- Layers mash: 50,000 – 70,000 Tanzanian Shillings per 50kg bag
- Broiler starter mash: 70,000 – 90,000 Tanzanian Shillings per 50kg bag
- Poultry vaccines: 2,000 – 4,000 Tanzanian Shillings per dose
- Coop construction materials: 100,000 – 500,000 Tanzanian Shillings
- Egg crates: 5,000 – 10,000 Tanzanian Shillings
- Watering system: 100,000 – 200,000 Tanzanian Shillings
Benefits of poultry farming in Tanzania include a reliable source of income, as well as providing employment opportunities and contributing to food security. Poultry products such as eggs and meat are in high demand in the country, making it a profitable industry to invest in.
Here are two popular questions about poultry farming in Tanzania:
- What are the challenges of starting a poultry farming business in Tanzania? Starting a poultry farming business in Tanzania can be challenging, especially for first-time farmers. Some of the challenges include limited access to quality veterinary services, unreliable electricity supply for heating and lighting, and fluctuating feed prices. Other challenges include disease outbreaks, lack of access to financing, and limited knowledge and skills in poultry farming.
- How can I market my poultry products in Tanzania? To market your poultry products in Tanzania, it’s essential to have a clear marketing strategy that targets your ideal customers. You can sell your products directly to consumers through local markets or establish a partnership with restaurants, hotels, or supermarkets. You can also advertise your products on social media and use word of mouth to spread the word about your poultry farm.
In conclusion, poultry farming in Tanzania offers many benefits, and with the right knowledge and resources, it can be a profitable business opportunity. The essential items and their prices listed above can help you get started with setting up your own poultry farm in Tanzania.
In this post, we will discuss the cost to start the different types of poultry farming. However, we will focus more on chickens (broilers and layers). We will also tell you how to start a profitable poultry farming business in Tanzania. Let’s dive straight in without further ado.
Cost of Starting a Poultry Business in Tanzania
According to research, many Tanzanians are becoming millionaires simply by becoming poultry farmers. The first step to starting a profitable poultry business is first finding out how much capital you need. How much does it cost to start a profitable poultry farm? Several ingredients go into running a poultry farm. It doesn’t matter whether you deal in broilers or layers, there are certain costs that you cannot do without. Here is a list below:
Land
Land is one of the primary needs you must meet when starting a poultry farm. You can either purchase land or lease one for the business. The cost of land is relative as it depends on the scale at which you want to run the farm and your location. In some parts of Tanzania, you can get farmlands for between TSh1,621,050 and TSh5,487,600 per plot.
Housing construction
After getting the land, the next thing that you must invest in is the housing for the birds. There are different types of housing depending on the rearing system that you will employ. The cheapest method is the free-range system where there isn’t an exact building. You just allow the birds to roam around in the compound.
For best results, it is best to employ floor or cage systems. The floor system just requires you to build a poultry house and allow the birds to roam around in the building. Alternatively, you can make use of bird cages. This method is regarded as the best for layers. The cost depends on the size of the farm but cages could cost from TSh1,621,050 for 500 birds.
Poultry equipment
There is a whole array of poultry equipment that you need to run a profitable poultry farming business. Your choice will depend on the system that you choose. The common pieces of poultry equipment that you will need include:
- Chick box
- Coops
- Crates
- Drinkers
- Egg scale
- Egg tray
- Egg washer
- Feeders
- Fly tray
- Heaters or brooders
- Incubators
- Laying nests
- Perches
- Ventilation fan
If you are running a commercial poultry farm, you should budget between TSh3,242,100 and TSh4,322,800 for poultry equipment. Smaller farms can budget between TSh321,000 and TSh1,123,500.
Vaccination and other medication costs
Vaccination is very important to ensure that your birds remain healthy. It also ensures that you reduce the mortality rate on your farm to the barest minimum. Just so you know, birds are highly prone to diseases and a single disease outbreak can wipe out the whole farm.
If you have a farm of 500 chicks, you should budget between TSh1,091,400 and TSh1,418,820 for vaccination and medication. The price may be negotiable depending on the veterinarian that you consult.
Feeding
This is one of the most important and non-negotiable costs to deal with in poultry farming. You can either formulate your feed or purchase readymade feed from established vendors. The former option is more affordable, however, many of the feed ingredients on the market are adulterated. As such, we suggest that you stick to purchasing from established companies.
The feeding cost for 500 birds is between TSh1,444,500 and TSh1,621,050 for a month. If you are raising layers, you need to feed them for about 18 months. This means that you could spend between TSh266,256,200 and TSh282,557,600 on feeding alone.
Purchase of chicks
The main raw material for poultry farming is chicks. Without them, everything else is a waste of investment. Currently, day-old chicks cost between N260 and N400. If you want to purchase point-of-lay birds, they cost between TSh8,106 and TSh10,700.
How to Start the Poultry Farming Business in Tanzania
Wondering how to start the poultry business in Tanzania? Check out the tips below:
Study the market
The first thing that you should do is to study your market. A detailed feasibility study helps you to know what the market holds, how much capital you need, and who your prospective customers are. It also helps you to know who your competitors are and how to surpass them.
Write a business plan
After you have carried out a detailed study of the market, the next step is to write a business plan. A business plan gives a clear indication of what your business sets out to achieve. It acts as the map of your business and also helps you to attract investment when the need arises. If you cannot write a detailed business plan, you can draw up a Business Module Canvas (BMC) instead.
Seek out reputable suppliers
Two very important aspects of this business are getting healthy stock and purchasing healthy feed. You need reputable suppliers for both. Ensure that you find suppliers that have a healthy stock of birds. Doing this saves you from having excess mortality on your farm. It also assures you of high productivity. You should also seek out suppliers that have the best quality feed on the market. Don’t settle for cheap prices as they could mean substandard products.
Raise capital
Capital here means the funds you need for the business as well as the land and the equipment that you need. You can either raise capital from your savings or taking a loan. Other ways of raising capital include grants and funding from friends and family members.
Gather knowledge
In rounding up this post, we suggest that you gather as much knowledge about this business as possible. Poultry farming requires a hands-on approach so you must be knowledgeable about raising birds. You can reach out to existing farmers to find out their failures and successes. This knowledge will help run your business.