So, why did the chicken cross the road?

To get to you! Karnataka poultry association plans to introduce mobile vans selling fresh chicken door-to-door.

Want to buy raw chicken but too lazy to visit the nearest shop or the super market? Soon, if the plans of the state poultry farmers’ association work out, mobile vans would be vending your favourite delicacy at your doorstep.

The initiative of the Karnataka poultry farmers’ and breeders’ association (KPFBA), the first of its kind in the state, is expected to make 30,000 unemployed people in and around Bangalore self-employed if they have a little amount of money for an initial investment.

“Our aim is to promote consumption of chicken meat, but the plan would also provide employment for thousands of unemployed youth. We are ready to provide guidance for those who want to become small entrepreneurs through mobile chicken shops,’’ MCR Shetty, president of the association, told reporters here on Thursday. The association has submitted a proposal to the state government and are awaiting its approval, he said.

Shetty said the West Bengal Government led by Mamata Banerjee, in an attempt to provide cheaper food to people, had allowed the sale of fish, chicken, vegetables and fruits in Kolkata through mobile vans.

“We will ensure linkage between the people who want to own mobile chicken shops and the suppliers who manufacture freezers. We have also prepared some guidelines on how to ensure hygiene while selling chicken meat,’’ the president of KPFBA said.

Dr Chidambara S, Designated Officer, Food Safety and Standards Act, to whom dna spoke, said vendors had to keep chicken meat in freezers and maintain temperature between minus18-24 degree Celsius till the chicken meat was delivered to kitchen of the customer.

“Poultry farms that supply packed chicken meat have to follow norms of Food Safety and Standards Act. They have to ensure that chicken meat is packed in clean surroundings. 

The meat should be preserved in freezers to avoid bacterial infection as eating infected meat is harmful to health,’’ said Dr Chidambara.

The health officer of BBMP told dna that permission from the Food Commissioner was mandatory for selling chicken meat through mobile vans, as also a licence from the BBMP.

Welcoming the proposal for mobile vending of chicken, Mohammed Imran Pasha, member, Shivajinagar poultry traders’ association, said the initiative would help unemployed youth, and also increase chicken sales, boosting the poultry traders’ income. “It is a good idea provided all care is taken to ensure hygiene,” said Pasha.

Count your chickens

1. Indian poultry sector produces 39,60 million kg of poultry meat and 76,000 million eggs p.a.

2. 51% of all meat consumed is poultry meat

3. 70% of the Indian population is non-vegetarian

4. Three million tonnes of chicken meat is produced in India

5. India is the third largest producer of eggs and the fourth largest producer of broiler meat in the world after USA, China and Brazil

Nutritional content of chicken meat

Protein : 22.8%

Fat : 0.9%

Calories/100g : 105 g