Pradu Hang Dam is a local chicken breed that attracts a lot of attention from farmers because of its distinctive traits which meet the demands of the market. It is a broiler chicken that has good growth performance and its meat has good flavour, making it a popular choice for farming. For this reason, the Faculty of Agriculture,Chiang Mai University has initiated the project, ‘Tender from Head to Tail’, to make the local chicken a star ingredient on the world stage.
Before this tasty poultry meat could be served on the dining table, Pradu Hang Dam chicken underwent extensive product development by the research team from the Faculty of Agriculture. The project is a part of the research, innovation and development scheme on local chicken production (Pradu Hang Dam) funded by the National Research Council of Thailand (NRCT) in 2021, to apply innovation and technology to chicken farming, while simultaneously providing education to farmers on incubation, parent stock care and application of research to reduce food costs and increase the profit margin. After successful breeding, the project also helps create new menu items with chicken to increase the channels of distribution. Not only is high quality Pradu Hang Dam perfect for local or Thai dishes, but it also makes an excellent ingredient for western style food as well. Chefs from famous restaurants in Chiang Mai have gathered to create new menus using this star ingredient, for instance, roasted Lueang Busarakham chicken drumsticks and thighs served with the Mae Nai's Winery rice cooked in Lueang Busarakham chicken stock with Spanish seasoning and golden spices, Pradu Hang Dam chicken thigh brandy terrine, fillet baked in puff pastry, Lueang Busarakham chicken soup with lotus root crisp, and Kwan-Phayao-Lake Lueang Busarakham chicken roast.
CMU recognises the importance of every process throughout the supply chain. It is a chain of values that has brought about successful local chicken production, making the local chicken an economical animal that serves as a high-quality ingredient for restaurants. This will help create jobs and income distribution, and ultimately empower farmers to become smart farmers, reinforcing the foundation for sustainable agriculture.