The attraction of emus
31/07/2008
Farmers in the state of Orissa, on the east coast of India, are abandoning traditional poultry farming and raising emus instead.
According to local media, an enterprising farmer named Mohan Reddy decided three years ago to take out a loan and raised 14 of the birds, which can live for 40 years, grow to a height of 1.8 metres and a weight of 50 kilos.
The meat from the birds is valuable because it's cholesterol-free, and its hide can be tanned for luxury leathergoods.
Mr Reddy paid of his debts and moved into profit quickly enough for some of his neighbours to follow him into emu-farming, and now 140 farmers across Orissa are said to be involved in raising the birds.
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