'Processed chicken' market poised for a big leap

By Our Staff Reporter

BANGALORE, AUG. 9. The market for ``processed chicken'' is poised for a big leap as players such as Godrej Agrovet Limited have targeted higher growth rates keeping in line with the chicken industry's projected combined annual growth rate of over 10 per cent.

Visiting presspersons had a feel of the processing method, an upcoming technology at least in this part of the world, at the company's unit at Hoskote, a few km from Bangalore.

Quality broiler chickens are processed and packed in a scientific hand-free process, instantly chilled at 2 degrees Celsius and supplied to the customer the same day. ``The instant chilling procedures effectively retains the freshness of the chicken and keeps intact its natural vitamins,'' the company officials told the presspersons.

Trained and experienced veterinary doctors have been recruited to oversee hygiene at the processing units. Brooding management ensures that the temperature is controlled at the early growth stage, while litter and water management processes are adopted to ensure cleanliness and treatment.

During the last five days before slaughter, the birds are fed with feed devoid of medicine and antibiotics, thereby keeping the chicken free of medicinal traces and ideal for human consumption. The slaughter itself is conducted through the scientific ``Halal cut'' method, before the birds are sent for defeathering using hi-tech machines.

Bio-security management measures adopted at the farm include disposal of the dead birds; proactive vaccination and medication schedule, restriction of outsiders' entries; spraying of disinfectants outside the poultry shed and also to all vehicles and persons entering the farm; terminal disinfectant of poultry shed equipment after liquidation of the flock and hygiene audit of the poultry shed before new flock.

The chicken used in the making of ``Real Good Chicken'' come from grandparent generation roosters imported from Cobb-Avian, a subsidiary of Tyson Foods, U.S., the largest producer of chicken in the world. GAVL is the sole franchisee of Cobb-Avian in India.

To boost the ``Real Good Chicken" brand, the company has proposed to go national by starting processing plants at different locations. ``Real Good Chicken'' parts, according to the company officials, will soon be available to households in all parts of South India, which will be later extended to the West and North.

Godrej Agrovet Limited is part of the Godrej Group of companies. In 1999, the company ventured into the organised chicken business with the launch of the ``Real Good Chicken'', thus introducing the concept of processed chicken to the Indian consumer.

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