Duck farming has been gaining popularity in Dakop upazila of Khulna district for several years. Favourable natural weather, proximity to rivers and steady demand have made the upazila a suitable location for duck farmers.
While a few farmers began experimentally with small duck farms in past years, many have set up larger farms in the past year and the current year. With rivers bordering the upazila and direct and indirect support from the Upazila Animal Resources Department, many people in the area are now successful duck farmers.
Jalilur Rahman, a resident of Sutarkhali Union in Dakop upazila, said he started a farm and large-scale duck rearing from 2025. Earlier, he began experimentally with a small number of ducks. Currently, his farm has more than 200 ducks. All are Khaki Campbell breed. He mainly sells meat producing ducks, typically aged between 75 and 90 days.
He said the cost of rearing 100 ducks is about Tk25,000. Excluding 10 ducks, he sells the remaining 90 at a wholesale price of about Tk450 each. This gives him per-batch sales of about Tk40,000 to Tk45,000, and after deducting food and other costs, he makes a good profit each time.
Having a large river beside the farm is a plus point. During rice planting, ducks must be kept confined for some days, but after planting is finished, he releases them into the river. The ducks feed naturally from the river and grow well, which reduces costs significantly.
However, he cannot send ducks to Khulna city as he lacks a trusted contact there, so he mostly sends them to Mongla area for sale. He said duck demand is increasing day by day.
He said that with government patronage and adequate incentives, they could play a larger role in meeting the country’s nutritional needs and expand their farms further.
Pallab chooses farming over job hunt
Pallab, a young man from Bajua Charardhar village, became interested in duck farming as a child after seeing his father Jaydeb Gain’s poultry farm. After passing HSC, he decided to become self-reliant instead of seeking a job.
Currently, Pallab and his father jointly manage a farm with about 1,000 ducks and four improved breed cows. About 700 ducks on the farm lay eggs daily, which are sold at about Tk15 per piece in the local market, though prices vary with market conditions.
According to Pallab, it costs about Tk450 to raise a duck from chick to egg-laying age. After meeting food, care and other costs, the farm earns about Tk20,000 to Tk30,000 per month.
Pradeep Kumar Majumder, Animal Resources Officer of Dakop upazila, told Times that while many people previously raised 20, 30 or 50 ducks at the family level, the trend is gradually shifting towards the commercial sector. Rural women are being encouraged through regular courtyard meetings and one-type training on duck and chicken rearing. Vaccines and treatment papers are being supplied to farmers at fixed prices or free of cost from the hospital.
He mentioned that anyone wishing to buy ducklings can obtain them at government-fixed prices from the Regional Duck Breeding Farm in Daulatpur, Khulna. Work is being done with local duck breeds as well as Khaki Campbell and Jinding breeds.
