Nepal, March 18 -- Two hundred and thirty-six hatcheries have perished in the country after the Covid-19 pandemic, according to Nepal Poultry Federation.

The industries have been closed after the hatched chicks did not fetch even the production price after the pandemic.

According to Tikaram Pokharel, vice-president of the Federation, there were 348 hatchery industries operating across the country before Covid-19 pandemic. Now the number has come down to 120 .Similarly, layer hatcheries have dropped from 14 to six.

Pokharel said 5.5 million broiler chicks used to be produced in a week by the hatcheries before and it has decreased to 3 million. Likewise, the production of layer chicks has decreased from 250 thousand per week to 130 thous...