BackA SUCCESS STORY OF RABBIT FARMING IN SOUTHERN INDIA

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Rabbit farming requires modest investment as it needs only simple facilities and small land area. Broiler rabbit farming is good source of continuous income throughout years. Rabbit farming is agricultural based activities and provides income from small investment in a short period. The demand for broiler rabbit is ever increasing in southern parts of India as indicated by the fact that more farmers visiting the SRRC, Mannavanur and showing interest for rabbitries. Of late, more number of viable rabbitries is coming up in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. Rabbit farming has given livelihood to several farm folks. The performance of the broiler rabbits has attracted many new farmers who have started rabbitries by taking the stock from SRRC, Mannavanur and the old customers have received replacement stocks. Though the demand is more, the SRRC, Mannavanur  is trying to meet the requirement. More than 12000 rabbits are sold by the SRRC, Mannavanur up to 2011 for establishment of rabbit farms in southern states. More than 450 rabbit farms have been established in southern India with the technical and germplasm support of Southern Regional Research Station (SRRC) of Central Sheep and Wool Research Institute, Avikanagar. The performance of the broiler rabbits is excellent and the performance of these breeds in field with farmers is steadily improving and gaining momentum for mutton production over the years.

MGB Rabbit Farms was started in 2005 with 5 rabbits at Kottapalayam village  in Tirupur district, Tamilnadu. Now they have 1200 rabbits in their farm. At the stage of beginning, they did not know about rabbit rearing and there was no person to give them guidance on rabbit farming. Some of the persons were suggesting for closing of farm, at that time they decided to close farm due to non-availability of support from government and market. At that situation, they got in touch with SRRC, Mannavanur, CSWRI.  The scientist of SRRC gave them full support and motivated them to promote rabbit farming activities as well as supply them quality breeding rabbit stocks. They gained a huge amount of knowledge about breeding and raising rabbits from SRRC. Now, they are providing breeding rabbits to small farmers on buyback contract basis to promote the rabbit farming and self-employment. If government provides loans under rural development and self-employment schemes with subsidies to farmers, it will be boon for employment and rural prosperity.