Is The “Million-Shilling” Quail Business In Kenya Just A Passing Wind?

The Kenyan cyber space, especially Facebook, is awash with this “Million-shilling” business idea of quail farming. I thought the social space is saved from this “euphoria” until a close friend of mine enthusiastically brought the topic up as we had our evening drinks. “Huh, Evans, what if we were having these drinks at the millionaire’s club?” He said laughing. I had not imagined that he had read my articles, but I was glad the lets-meet-at-the-millionaire’s club mentality was having a positive impact in his life.

“So tell me Evans, is this a real big business or is it just a short-lived hype?” he asked. I was glad to have this question because I had really thought about it since I started seeing the huge demand of quails and quail products. Here’s what I think:

Let’s first address one major fact of this million-shilling business; it is a business! That means it is not spared from the factors that affect other businesses. The supply-demand-cost matrix applies here perfectly. From my primary school business studies, I know that when the demand for a commodity is high and supply is low, the price automatically goes up.

Now look at the proportions of supply and demand of quails and quail products in Kenya. While there’s a mammoth demand (for lack of a bigger known animal), only a couple of farmers are producing and from my studies, it is not more than 5,000 birds and eggs per month. What would we expect of prices in such a scenario? Sincerely, I am not surprised to see a fertilized quail egg being sold at 65 shillings and a laying quail going for 1000 shillings – and as a matter of fact, those are the prices!

So how long are these prices going to be there?

Obviously, these prices are inflated a bit too high and the profits that quail farmers in Kenya are currently enjoying will only be available for as long as the demand is so high and supply so low. So how long is that? Well, no one can tell but from my interaction with the market and producers, this is not likely to happen in 2014. I foresee that the quail business will only reach its demand-supply balance earliest by 2015.

So will that be the end of quail farming business?

I strongly believe that what we are experiencing is the start of a business whose end is not near. Remember we are talking poultry here. I do not know how the chicken farming business started, because I am sure I wasn’t born by then, yet it is still one of the most lucrative businesses with the likes of Nelson of Muguku Farm literally making billions from it. I don’t see why quails would be different.

And hey, the idea just got born in Kenya; it has been in practice for a long period in other countries…

I am actually a little embraced that our Kenyan people are getting into this business in 2013! I have done research about the business in other countries and I was very surprised to find out that our brothers in Nigeria and South Africa are way ahead. Quail farming in these countries is a fully developed multi-million dollar industry. I wouldn’t even want to talk about developed countries in other continents with regard to this business.

By the way, have you tasted quail meat? I have, and honestly, this is the best meat I have ever had. I am not a fun of eggs but I am told that quail eggs are very tasty and they are a great benefit to our health. But forget about all the claims of quail eggs having medicinal value; the sweet taste of quail meat and the fact that this is white meat is enough to keep the business going and profitable for centuries. So drop that this-is-just-a-passing-wind mentality and go make the huge profits while the supply is low and demand high.

If you would like to meet other quail farmers making it big in Kenya, be sure to join the Quail Farmers Kenyagroup on Facebook. If you would like me to do a strategic plan and offer you all the technical support to help you start a profitable quail farming venture, kindly email me at enthiga@gmail.com.

I wish you all the best and let’s meet at the millionaire’s club. Cheers!