Zhanjiang in southern Guangdong province has been famous for its tasty chicken since the 1930s. Now, the coastal city is moving to cash in on its native birds and make Zhangjiang chicken famous around the world.

The city's animal husbandry bureau announced a slew of measures intended to put Zhanjiang top of the pecking order among Chinese chickens on Feb 1, including regulations to standardize feeding and processing methods and a geographical indication (GI) application for Zhangjiang chicken.

Rich in amino acids and with a tender and crispy taste, Zhanjiang chicken has long enjoyed a high reputation in Hong Kong and Macao, and during the 1930s and 1940s it was common for celebrities to travel to Zhanjiang to taste the city's famous white meat.

Boiled Zhanjiang chicken with sauce served at a local restaurant.[Photo/zjphoto.yinsha.com]

A staple of restaurants in the Pearl River Delta region, the dish is made from a breed of chicken native to the Leizhou Peninsula, the region around Zhanjiang. The birds, known as "three-yellow chickens" due to their yellow crests, feathers and mouths, are said to get their rich taste from Leizhou's mineral-rich red soil and subtropical climate.

However, despite Zhanjiang chicken's rich heritage, a lack of management, supervision and processing standards has restricted the city's efforts to build a brand for Zhanjiang chicken, and the product's long-term development is now under threat.

Even worse, local farmers have even begun to introduce other chicken species from outside the country, which could threaten the future of Zhanjiang chicken.

To meet these challenges, Guangdong Ocean University drafted regulations on chicken breeding and processing and submitted it to the relevant government departments, local food associations and research institutes for review last year.

A geographical indication application, a product quality and process certificate is also underway.

Experts from China's livestock and poultry industry associations give suggestions on breeding during a visit to Guanghai Chicken. [Photo/zjphoto.yinsha.com]

"If Zhanjiang Chicken is certified by GI, it will be easier to develop brand loyalty among consumers," said Li Shishou, a local food critic, who added that improved branding will increase the value of the meat, raising farmers' incomes.

According to Zhanjiang Animal Husbandry Bureau, which helped to organize materials for the GI application, the application has gone smoothly so far. Officials said that once it is passed, a unified set of technical specifications will be put in place covering fodder, feeding, processing equipment and safety standards, as well as environmental requirements for breeding areas including climate characteristics and soil composition.

"To make Zhanjiang chicken a geographic symbol, we still need some stories with cultural background. Products without cultural connotations are not viable," said Liu Shuihai, founder of the brand Guanghai Chicken, one of the most famous Zhanjiang chicken companies.

Liu's decades of breeding experience helped produce his own set of fine criteria: 100 grams of chicken should contain more than 24 grams of protein, and more than 1,600 fibers should be found in one square millimeter of chicken. His self-created breeding and production standards are a successful example for the whole industry in Zhanjiang.

Farmers stamp each chicken with a code providing information about the bird's development. [Photo/zj.southcn.com]

Some trials in closely combining the chicken with Zhanjiang have already harvested benefits. Last year, Lianjiang's Yangtaogou ecotourism demonstration area introduced a system to enable customers to scan a code on each chicken's leg to find out information about the whole production process from the chicken's birth and development to the company's logistics operations.

The demonstration area has also improved its logistics system, enabling it to transport 4,585 chickens to Guangzhou, Foshan, Zhuhai and other cities within 24 hours of purchase on one occasion.