Meat of fighter roosters sells for Rs 7,000/kg in Andhra Pradesh

VIJAYAWADA: Cashing in on the huge demand for meat of roosters, locally known as Kosa, that sustain injuries or die during the Sankranti cockfights, their prices have touched `5,000 to `7,000 per kg. Sankranti gamecocks are nurtured carefully with heavy diets throughout the year to help them gain immunity and power.

Enthusiasts of the ‘sport’ compete with one another to grab the flesh and enjoy the rooster’s meat, which has a unique taste.

According to cockfight competition rules, the owner of the rooster that wins a fight also owns the dead ‘competitor’. The owner auctions the dead rooster instantly. As soon as a gamecock is dead, all its feathers are removed, the bird is grilled and handed over to the one making the best bid. Kosas are free from fat has tremendous demand with people willing to part with an extra buck to get the flesh.

Incidentally, as a matter of an established tradition in some quarters, Kosa curries are served with pride to the newlywed sons-in-law during Sankranti.

A rooster trainer, R. Venkatraju, said that roosters are fed with cashew, almonds, eggs, mutton and other high-power diets. He said that roosters undergo training in swimming and are made to perform other exercises to boost their stamina. He said that they are priced between `50,000 and `2 lakh depending on their robustness and fighting skills. He said that Kosa meat is luscious, which is the reason many are willing to pay higher prices and also for the fact that it is available only once in a year.

K. Venkateswara Rao, a fan of Kosa meat, said that a group of people like him went to arenas in Krishna, East and West Godavari districts and brought the flesh fresh off the block. He said that people who taste Kosa dishes would crave for it and do not mind the cost.