Agartala, Dec. 31 :    Agartala, Dec. 31:  Quail farming is gaining ground in Tripura with many people, including Governor Lt. Gen. (retd) K.M. Seth, setting up 'farms' for this oriental bird. Sources said Seth is rearing 100 quails in neatly-built iron cages in the Raj Bhawan. Quails drew attention in a recent fair organised by the co-operative department. The stall selling quails, known for their eggs and cholesterol-free meat, drew huge crowds in the weeklong fair, sources added. The interest shown by the Governor also 'induced' ordinary consumers and farmers to look for quail meat and eggs. Senior veterinary surgeon and incharge of quail farming in the 59-acre government-run Gandhigram poultry farm Dilip Debnath said the bird was brought to Tripura for the first time from a West Bengal government-run poultry farm in the Tollygunge area in Calcutta last year. 'We soon became aware of the rich potential of quail farming, not only for consumption but as an employment avenue. We started it on a moderate scale this year,' he added. Belonging to the 'partridge family', quails are originally found in the vast expanse of mainland China. This wonder bird has kindled the imagination of meat-eaters, farmers and even ornithologists because of its potential to serve the needs of men. 'The investment is very little. You can rear 500 birdlings at a cost of Rs 7,375. After 40 days you get back Rs 2,250 by selling eggs and your annual turnover will be more than Rs 20,250,' the veterinarian said. A quail birdling takes only 40 days to mature and 'it lays at least 250 to 260 eggs a year', Debnath added. Deputy director of Gandhigram poultry farm Samar Kanti Mitra said the eggs and the 175 to 200 grams of meat yielded by an adult quail are richer in quality than the eggs or meat of various chicken or duck. He said quail eggs have the same amount of vitamins and protein as any other eggs. However, their fat-content is very low. While quail meat tastes as good as any other bird-meat, the selling point is its cholesterol-free nature, he added. Mitra said quail farming on a commercial basis has started in Tripura and the Gandhigram poultry farm is selling day-old birdlings at a rate of Rs 2 each. Debnath said last year the Gandhigram poultry farm managed to sell only 100 birdlings. But the demand for the bird has risen.