To bring back the taste of traditional local chicken, the Bangladesh Livestock Research Institute (BLRI) has developed an improved chicken breed. It looks exactly like a local chicken and is well suited to Bangladesh's weather. Because it suffers little disease, far fewer drugs are needed, making the meat tastier and safer.

BLRI said in a press release that the chicken would be marketed shortly, and a memorandum of understanding has been signed between Aftab Hatchery Ltd and BLRI.

BLRI Director General Dr Nathu Ram Sarker said there is huge demand for local chicken meat, yet local chickens are nearly extinct. Consumers have turned to Sonali chickens in recent years, but because the original Sonali line was not conserved, disease has increased, drug use has risen and safe chicken meat has become uncertain. The new breed was developed to meet demand for safe meat with a local taste.

At a meeting at Aftab's office on Friday, managing director of Aftab Bahumukhi Farms Fazle Rahim Khan Shahriar said Aftab had long wanted a reliable breed like this: one that brings back local taste, suits Bangladesh's weather and resists disease. Director (sales) G H N Ershad said it is easy to raise and gives much more meat than local chickens. The breed has been named "BLRI Multi Colour Table Chicken" for now, and a brand name will be finalised soon.

Head of marketing Nurul Morshed Khan said Sonali was also developed locally through crossbreeding, but years of inbreeding without conserving the pure line have increased infections and health risks. Under the MoU, the breed will be marketed only through Aftab Hatchery.

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.