Increased consumption of chicken coupled with reduced production has led to a hike in chicken prices across the state of Telangana.
The Bonalu season also prompted the rise in Chicken rates. The consumption rises in the festival season as most of them for Nonveg in Telangana.
The price of chicken has been in the range of Rs 220 to Rs 250 per kg without skin in the rainy season. The average chicken price ranges from Rs 160 to Rs 180 per kg. On Sunday, the chicken was sold at Rs 220 per kg .
Sellers in the poultry business attribute the increase in a price hike and household consumption to the rates of Mutton prices which are very high from Rs 800 to Rs 1000 per Kg.
With the Mutton rates going up the nonveg consumers find chicken as the affordable alternative.
People choose to consume chicken as it is the cheapest form of protein. The increased consumption this month can also be attributed to Bakrid which is on 21st of this month.
According to the Telangana Poultry Federation (TPF) and Indian Poultry Equipment Manufacturers Association (IPEMA), people across the state were consuming around 12 lakh kg of chicken every day prior to the pandemic. The demand for poultry products dipped in April but is steadily increasing in households.
The average consumption of chicken as of date stands at 10 lakh kg per day. Though household consumption is increasing, consumption of chicken has not reached 12 lakh kg every day in the state as there is a drastic dip in the purchase by hoteliers.
The chicken market will stabilize once the hotel industry starts seeing more customers. “As on date, domestic consumption has increased but purchase by hoteliers is very low.
Once the business is back on track the market will be strengthened and the prices will also stabilize,” he said.
