Hyderabad: There is chicken. And then there is Kadaknath chicken. Known for its dark meat that is believed by many to be among the healthiest forms of chicken meat, given the low fat content, Kadaknath chicken is now the costliest meat available in Hyderabad, according to its dealers. The meat is being sold at Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,200 per kg in the city, while the live bird goes for above Rs 850 a kg.
This breed, said to have originated from Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and parts of Gujarat and Rajasthan, is mostly bred by tribal communities. The fowl is all black, right from its feathers to the meat. Though there are stories that even the egg is black, Kadaknath chicken eggs are actually brown with a slight pinkish tint.
Raised for both meat and eggs, Kadaknath chicken takes about eight months to gain normal weight, unlike regular broilers that take around 45 days to gain that weight, and that explains the difference in quality, price and maintenance costs.
According to Kadaknath Chicken Farms, a major supplier of such birds in the twin cities, the cost of breeding is around Rs 500 per bird. It consumes nearly 100 grams of feed every day and breeding is different from broiler chicken.
Vineesh Goud, partner, Kadaknath Chicken Farms, says since it has several health benefits, the black chicken is costly. “We are growing over 4,000 Kadaknath birds at the dedicated farm in Vikarabad and we supply to outlets in city,” he said.
Apart from the meat, Kadaknath eggs are also expensive with each costing Rs 30. The egg is believed to be nutritious, especially for elderly people and high blood pressure patients. “Hatching of eggs is a problem for this breed. Though it has demand in the market, production is less and this has resulted in high prices,” adds a farmer.
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