Rural India feasts on cheap chicken

Tika Ram, a peon in Jaunpur, could not afford to buy chicken till two months back. Today, his family relishes it at least thrice a week. For thousands of people like him, living in small townships across north India, chicken has become affordable thanks to the falling prices.

"In most wholesale markets across north India, chicken today is selling between Rs 15-20 per kg. In the last month prices had fallen to as low as Re 1 per kg in some places. While people in big metros are shying away from eating chicken, it has become very popular across small towns and villages," says Shabbir Khan, president, Poultry Federation of India (north).

"Bird flu reports have suddenly changed the consumption pattern. Mumbai has been the worst hit, with Delhi following. However, in villages and towns of Uttar Pradesh and Punjab, the sales are extremely good... Low prices have led to this," says Shyam Kumar, secretary of the federation.

"These people are traditionally beef eaters and beef today sells at Rs 35-40. So instead of beef, they are going in for chicken," says Khan.

"While chicken is back on the menu of most restaurants, people are still shying from eating it... Only 20 per cent sale is today from chicken. The fear factor is probably keeping the educated people away from chicken," says Rahul Makkar of Mercurries Restaurant.

"But for someone who could not earlier afford to buy chicken for Rs 100, the extremely low prices have come as a blessing in disguise," he says.