Duc, the French supplier of poultry products, said it has franchised over 20 Bulgarian farmers to rear a special breed of chicken. 

The mid-term strategy of the company envisages the spending of an eighth-figure amount in euro so that Duc would be working with 150 Bulgarian farms through 2012, said Duc director general Joel Marchand.

Duc picked Bulgaria among competing locations in Eastern Europe on the strength of its traditions in poultry breeding and the outlook for domestic consumption. A Duc-commissioned survey of the Bulgarian market found that chicken meat production increased by 5,000 tons annually over the last couple of years while the share of white meat in domestic meat production has increased to 61%.

Duc will supply the franchised farmers with chicks and the plant-based animal feed containing no fish or animal byproducts. The farmers will be required to follow certain standards concerning breeding practices and premises.

The French company has contracted slaughterhouses in Stara Zagora and Sevlievo.