The Hindu

• There are complaints of unfair business 

Mangalore, Mar 22: Even while the poultry industry in Dakshina Kannada district is putting up a brave face in view of "bird flu", consumers feel cheated by poultry outlets to the extent of 200 grams of meat per kg of chicken.

Prior to the outbreak of bird flu, poultry consumption in Mangalore was 45,000 kg a day. The city's chicken outlets sold at least 3.5 lakh birds everyday on an average.

But after bird flu was reported, the consumption of chicken has dropped drastically. The consumption of chicken is estimated at less than 12,000 kg a day now while imports from Kerala, Hassan, Chikmagalur and Shimoga districts have stopped completely.

Sold at Rs. 30 a kg, the chicken outlets feel the prevailing rates were just enough to recover the costs involved in clearing their stocks and there was not even 1 per cent profit. The consumers feel the existing rate (Rs. 30 per kg) is right. The price of chicken before bird flu was reported was between Rs. 45 and Rs. 55 for broiler while for Giriraja and Tyson it was between Rs. 60 and Rs. 75. For the country chicken, it was above Rs. 90 a kg. Some hardcore chicken eaters in the city have complained that the chicken outlets have been cheating them. If a consumer selects a live bird weighing 3 kg., after dressing he got back only 1.75 to 1.90 kg while it should be not less than 2.3 kg.

According to the district veterinary surgeon Ashok Kumar, a consumer should get 70 per cent of the weight of the bird, which means the weight loss in dressed chicken should not be more than 300 gm per bird. The consumers of Mangalore have not been able to collectively protest against the unfair business tactics of chicken outlets. They say the chicken outlets have resorted to unfair means to ensure that they get Rs. 60 a kg.