SBI to offer MUDRA loans to Kerala broiler farmers

The local head office of State Bank of India has entered into a tie-up with Kudumbashree Broiler Farmers Producers Company and Kudumbashree Mission for financing poultry farmers under the Kerala Chicken (Kudumbashree) project.

The Kudumbashree Mission refers to the State Poverty Eradication Mission that also doubles up as a campaign for women empowerment, under the Department of Local Self-Government, Kerala.

MUDRA loans

Under the tie-up, poultry farmers sponsored by the Kudumbashree Mission will be financed with MUDRA loans, sources said.

Kudumbashree members will involve themselves individually or jointly in the project and will be monitored and supported by the Kudumbashree State Mission, its district missions, or even at the local self-government level.

The demand for poultry meat in Kerala is estimated at 1 crore kg a week, harvested from 50 lakh chicks. As much as 50 per cent of the demand is being met by Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.

The State government had recently promoted the Kerala Chicken project to make available quality broiler chicken at a reasonable price under the brand name Kerala Chicken (Kudumbashree).

SBI aims to finance 757 broiler chicken farm units of 1,000 birds each and help with stocking of day-old chicks, equipment, feed, medicines, construction of she, and payment of required insurance. Loan shall be provided only in individual capacity to members of neighbourhood groups sponsored by the Kudumbashree Mission.