What began as a fascination with the graceful dance of a peacock has turned into a thriving farming venture for Md Shah Ali of Homna upazila in Cumilla.

In December 2019, Shah Ali, a young man from Babarkandi village in Nilkhi Union, spent Tk 1.65 lakh to buy a pair of peacocks after becoming captivated by their colourful feathers and distinctive courtship display.

He later bought five more, bringing his collection to seven. Over the years, the birds multiplied, and what started as a hobby gradually grew into a full-fledged peacock farm.

Today, Shah Ali has 85 peacocks, including 12 mature birds, with an estimated total value of around Tk 28 lakh.

He has already sold peacocks worth nearly Tk 24 lakh.

His farm has also expanded beyond peacocks. He raises cattle, goats, sheep, guinea fowl and quails alongside the colourful birds.

In Babarkandi, Shah Ali is now widely known as the village’s peacock farmer.

Some locals even call him “Peacock Shah Ali”.

A recent visit to his farm found the birds roaming freely around the enclosure, with some spreading their magnificent tails and dancing.

Visitors from different areas regularly come to see the birds and, in some cases, buy them.

Shah Ali studied up to Class VIII. While living in Badda, Dhaka, his father ran a cattle farm, where Shah Ali helped by cutting grass for the animals.

At the same time, he became involved in buying and selling birds in the Mirpur area.

It was there that he first saw peacocks up close.

“I liked the peacocks when I saw them in Mirpur. Later, I decided to buy a pair with money I had saved from selling birds and cattle,” he said.

The first pair laid 18 eggs, from which 12 chicks hatched.

After returning to his village, Shah Ali invested Tk 2 lakh to build two tin-shed structures for the birds.

He then spent another Tk 2.5 lakh to buy four female and one male peacock.

The seven birds subsequently laid 140 eggs, from which 128 chicks hatched.

Since starting the venture in December 2019, Shah Ali has spent around Tk 10 lakh on purchasing peacocks, feed, care and constructing the sheds.

His investment has already generated substantial returns.

“I have sold peacocks worth around Tk 24 lakh so far. There are now 85 peacocks on the farm, worth around Tk 28 lakh,” he said.

The price of a pair varies according to the birds’ age and size, ranging from Tk 50,000 to more than Tk 1 lakh. He has sold a large pair for as much as Tk 1.10 lakh.

Each feather sells for Tk 20-50, while four eggs can fetch Tk 10,000-15,000.

The birds are fed commercial poultry feed as well as vegetables such as red amaranth, spinach, cabbage and water spinach, said Ali.

Shah Ali initially managed the farm alone.

As the number of birds increased, however, he hired a woman worker at a monthly salary of Tk 5,000.

The farm now costs around Tk 25,000 a month to operate, including the worker’s salary, he said.

But Shah Ali cautions aspiring farmers against jumping into the business on a large scale.

“I would not advise anyone to start a peacock farm on a large scale from the beginning. It is better to start with one or two pairs, gain experience and then expand,” he said.

Peacocks cannot always be sold immediately, he explained, so farmers should have another source of income while developing the business.

Dr Md Shafiqul Alam, Homna upazila livestock officer, said Shah Ali is currently the only peacock farmer in the upazila.

“We regularly visit his farm and try to provide him with all possible support,” he said.