New Delhi: Chicken has always danced to the taste buds of many a watering mouth. Yet, by a quirk of fate, the lives of chicken have turned somber.
Chicken has always danced to the taste buds of many a watering mouth. Yet, by a quirk of fate, the lives of chicken have turned somber. Cast away from star hotels and foreign trips, to land only at Cul de Sacs, their lives have been cathartic, to say the least!
Taking a trip down memory lane, chicken has now found loyalty at the roots, from the very own sons of the soil-amongst people in small towns and villages, who have apparently thrown the bird-flu threats to the summer winds! So, winds of change have set into the palates of many households in small towns across Northern India, and most are getting inebriated with the chicken soup, now available for a song.Shabbir Khan, President, Poultry Federation of India (North) said, "In most wholesale markets across north India, chicken today is selling between Rs 15-20 per kg. In last one month, it went to as low as Rs one 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.” According to Mr Khan, the traditional beef loyalists have now turned the tables and have started bingeing on the chicken.
Rahul Makkar of Mercurries Restaurant says,"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. 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."
After the hype and hoopla about bird-flu that sent the chicken prices crashing and left the chicken to twiddle between the thumbs of cullers, there is some respite for those going on a one way ticket to the villages and towns. Families in these small towns have enough reason to make merry under the moon light with plenty of chilly chicken, and cheer!
