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Poultry at home on the range
25 Aug 2004
Increasing numbers of consumers are willing to pay more for free-range chicken meat, as concerns over animal welfare outweigh price considerations. The free-range product retails for about 10 per cent more than regular chicken meat, and now makes up 10 per cent of all poultry products sold at Coles Supermarkets.
Free Range Egg and Poultry Australia attributes the growth to a growing awareness of animal welfare. About four years ago, the association's president, Pat Bigham, swapped to free-range birds and now sells more than 71,500 every seven weeks. She said the market just keeps growing, a view shared by the VFF Chicken Meats Group, which said free-range farmers are having trouble keeping up with demand. The number of free-range farms in Victoria has doubled in the past two years to more than 40. Most of the farmers are former broiler farmers.
Free-range farmers are paid about 40 per cent more for each chicken, with a farm gate price of about 70 cents a bird, compared with 55 cents.
To be classified as free-range, chickens must be able to choose whether to go outside or inside during the day, not be fed any antibiotics, and there must be trees for shade and shelter.
Weekly Times, 25/8/04, page 8.
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