Kadaknath Chicken is one of the rarest poultry breeds of India. It is famous for its black meat, low cholesterol, high protein, quality, texture and taste. It is sold at around INR 500 per kg.
On March 28, 2018, Madhya Pradesh got the Geographical Indication Tag from the GI Registry in Chennai for Kadaknath Chicken, an indigenous black-feathered chicken breed found in tribal-dominated Jhabua district in the state. MP animal husbandry minister Antar Singh Arya said, ‘Thanks to the persistent efforts of the department officials, we have managed to win the GI tag’.[1]The application was filed by the Madhya Pradesh Government in 2012. The government-run hatcheries in Madhya Pradesh produce about 2.5 lakh chickens of the Kadaknath variety annually.
Chhattisgarh Government also filed GI application in 2017 claiming its rights over Kadaknath Chicken. The basis of their application was the success of the breeding project in Dantewada. Saurabh Kumar, Dantewada collector, told Hindustan Times that about 120 self-help groups (SHGs) are rearing a black chicken variety in Dantewada and 1,600 women are earning a livelihood from selling these birds.[2] However, the claim was rejected by GI Registry in Chennai.
[1]https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/mp-s-black-tribal-chicken-kadaknath-wins-gi-tag-beats-chhattisgarh-s-claim/story-kSJrEoLx0GFT9z2NpvzQ8I.html
[2]https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/mp-s-black-tribal-chicken-kadaknath-wins-gi-tag-beats-chhattisgarh-s-claim/story-kSJrEoLx0GFT9z2NpvzQ8I.html