Namakkal Poultry and Egg Production Cooperative Cluster

Namakkal district is India's largest egg-producing hub, accounting for over 65% of India's egg exports and a substantial share of domestic supply. The broiler and layer poultry industry began in the 1960s when Gounder farmers converted cattle sheds to poultry houses, establishing the fundamentals of the cluster. Today more than 50,000 poultry farmers in and around Namakkal maintain an estimated 80 million laying hens. The industry is vertically integrated: feed mills, hatcheries, egg grading and packaging centres, and cold chain logistics all operate within the district. A unique feature of Namakkal's poultry economy is its auction-based daily egg pricing at the Namakkal egg market, which sets the benchmark price used across South India.