Bhubaneswar: Odisha has set an ambitious target to produce 500 crore eggs annually by 2029, positioning itself as a leading hub for egg production, Fisheries and Animal Resources Development (F&ARD) Minister Gokulananda Mallik said Friday.
Addressing an event organised by the F&ARD department to mark the state-level World Egg Day celebrations at Lok Seva Bhawan here, the minister said the state currently produces about 1.17 crore eggs per day. “The per capita availability of eggs in Odisha is around 80 per year, while a healthy diet requires about 182 eggs per person annually. Our goal is to bridge this gap and make the state self-reliant in egg production,” Mallik said. The minister urged youth entrepreneurs in every district and block to take up poultry farming and contribute to the state’s mission of achieving nutritional security and economic growth through the livestock sector. Describing egg as one of the most affordable and complete sources of animal protein, the minister said it plays a vital role in ensuring good health for children and strengthening the rural economy.
OUAT Vice-Chancellor Pravat Kumar Roul called upon citizens to take a pledge to make Odisha self-sufficient in egg production. World Egg Day is celebrated globally on the second Friday of October to promote awareness of the nutritional value of eggs and encourage its production and consumption. This year’s theme was ‘The Power of the Egg: Packed with Natural Nutrition’.
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As part of the celebrations, awareness programmes were organised in schools across Bhubaneswar to educate students about the health benefits of eggs. The F&ARD department also distributed eggs among those at orphanages in the City to mark the occasion.
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