Visakhapatnam: Poultry traders feel the pinch as chicken prices crash

Visakhapatnam: Giving up hope on their daily business, poultry traders feel the heat as their income has been hit considerably ever since the coronavirus outbreak.

Unable to maintain their monthly expenses, the meat and chicken shop owners explore ways for alternative livelihood.

Despite the campaign advocating consumption of chicken as safe through various platforms, there has been a significant dip in the sale of chicken in the market for the past 45 days.

Those who are fond of chicken now prefer to distance themselves from their favourite dish as they fear that they might contract the virus by consuming it. This has led to crafting of vegetarian menus at homes, replacing the chicken-based dishes.

It has been two months since T Nagur witnessed a brisk business at his shop in Bhaji junction. "This is the worst phase ever I have experienced in the past 10 years of my business.

We used to sell chicken from 6 am to 1 pm and again 4 pm to 8:30 pm all days, barring Saturdays as people feel sentimental to cook meat on that day. But, now, due to lack of business for the past one month, every day seems to be Saturday for us. Our revenue is completely nil. As a result, we are opening the meat shop only thrice a week and that too for a few hours," laments the butcher.

Sharing similar views, Rehman who sells chicken at Narava says, "Though there is no evidence of coronavirus spreading through cooked meat, people still have their own apprehensions. Poultry traders find it hard to survive as the COVID scare has hit the market adversely. This has led to severe cash crunch, affecting our monthly income at large. Unable to cope with, we have started searching for alternative livelihoods as community helpers."

There are two sectors in poultry industry – integrated and zone sectors. There are about 850 businessmen depending on these two sectors in coastal Andhra.

According to Visakhapatnam Broiler Chicken Industry Welfare Association, 3,000 meat shops dot Visakhapatnam under GVMC limits. About 10 to 15 families are dependent on each poultry farm. Similarly, two to four families eke out a living through a meat shop.

"There is an 80 per cent drop in the poultry industry due to coronavirus. Personally, I have lost nearly Rs 1 crore in the past 45 days. Even feeding the chicken has become tough for us now. If the situation continues, we are left with no other option than to down shutter the units," says T Adinarayana, president of Greater Visakha Broiler Industry Welfare Association.

Price factor plays a key role in the chicken business. Earlier, a kg of chicken crossed Rs 260. However, a kg now costs Rs 40 to Rs.60.