Srikakulam: Chicken prices skyrocket in state

Srikakulam: Chicken price reached its highest peak inthe State during the Covid lockdown. On Saturday price of a kg of skinless chicken was Rs 310 and with skin is Rs 300. Ten days ago its price was Rs 200. Normally price of skinless chicken per kg is Rs 180 and with skin is Rs 170. In the wake of spread of Covid-19, chicken consumption fell drastically by March end this year.

As a result, poultry farmers have sold their hen at throw away prices by carrying it to villages. The reason for sudden fall of price for chicken was due to spread of rumours among people that chicken consumption may lead to getting affected with Covid-19 disease. As a result, poultry units suffered badly and farmers were unable to run their units.

In some areas like Itchapuram, Sompeta, Palasa and Tekkali, poultry units were closed as its owners (farmers) could not operate them. As a result production of hens came down drastically and demand for chicken is increasing now after people realised that chicken consumption will not cause harm to their health.

Consumption of chicken is slowly increasing but supply is not up to mark to meet the demand which is leading to increase in price. In Srikakulam district about 1,000 poultry units are being run by farmers. Of them, 60 per cent units have been closed and production of hens also reduced drastically at the remaining poultry units.

"Poultry farmers are facing difficulties to run their units due to Covid-19 scare and uncertainty prevailed in market which pushed poultry units into crisis" Srikakulam District Poultry Farmers Association president, S Babu Rao explained. Another poultry farmer V Rama Rao in Ponduru mandal said, "I started poultry units by availing bank loan facility but market conditions are not favourable to poultry units and now I am unable to run them and planning for alternatives."