Omani youth leads poultry self-sufficiency in Ibri

IBRI: An ambitious young Omani man continues his journey in the livestock production sector, investing his passion and ability to turn available potential into pioneering projects. With unwavering determination and a forward‑looking vision, he is contributing to the national economy and food security, working towards self‑sufficiency and meeting local market needs.
Badr bin Saleem al Kalbani’s 'Murtafaat Al Najeed' project has emerged as the first chick‑producing hatchery in the Wilayat of Ibri, Al Dhahirah Governorate. What began as a private investment has become a national symbol of collaboration between youth initiatives and government plans to localise the poultry sector and improve supply chains in Oman.
Al Kalbani said the idea grew from a clear passion for livestock production and a desire to invest available environmental resources for sustainable income. The goal was never a passing experiment, he said, but rather a vision to build an integrated project that serves the community.
The first step came in 2003, when he owned a small farm in Ibri and looked for an additional source of income. After studying agriculture and livestock, he settled on hatching — a rare project at the time. He started with a simple incubator capable of holding just 350 eggs, limited to local chickens. Over the years, he expanded gradually, and in 2009, he established a small hatchery that marked his real entry into the commercial market.
In 2024, Al Kalbani opened a new hatchery with a larger capacity, equipped with high‑quality incubators, strengthening his position as the first chick producer in Al Dhahirah Governorate and continuing his mission to support food security and meet local demand.
The model hatchery includes specialised chambers, Al Kalbani explained. Eggs arrive in a cooling room, then move to a sorting chamber where they are placed in special trays. The trays go to an incubation chamber for 18 days. After that, the eggs are transferred to a hatching chamber with modern machines, where hatching takes three days. Finally, the chicks are gathered in a collection chamber and placed in boxes for delivery to customers and farms.
The hatchery’s current capacity is about 700,000 chicks a year, while actual production so far has reached about 450,000, he said.
Most of the production is marketed locally across Oman, reflecting the project’s vital role in supporting local markets and strengthening the food security system, Al Kalbani said.
The experience, despite its challenges, was an important milestone for honing expertise and enhancing capabilities, and the success achieved today is the fruit of perseverance and continuous learning, he added. - ONA