FARMING OF JAPANESE QUAILS NO LONGER ILLEGAL

NEW DELHI: One of the finest delicacies, quail eggs, will soon become cheaper to purchase with the environment ministry lifting a ban on farm breeding of Japanese quails.

The environment ministry this month decided to remove Japanese quails for farm breeding from the list of endangered species in the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 to enable investment in the sector. Also, Sloth Bear, Hyena and Edible-nest Swiftlet have been removed from the list of protected species. The national bank for agriculture and rural development has refused to provide financial assistance for quail farming following the environment ministry listing them under schedule IV of the wildlife law.

The ministry had put quails in the schedule following representation from NGOs saying its farming would endanger the bird in the wild. The ministry under Jayanthi Natarajan has accepted the view and decided to impose a ban on its farm breeding.Its implications became obvious as state governments refused permission to start quail farming and banking institutions rejected financing proposals.

The agriculture ministry, however, termed the ban as anti-farmer considering huge business opportunity for quail farming, especially in the states of Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh.

The ministry changed its earlier stand and decided to exempt quail farming from the schedule. “The exemption is only for farming of quails and does not mean its hunting has been allowed,” reasoned a ministry official.