Pune: Chicken prices increase to pre-lockdown levels

PUNE: The prices of chicken have risen to Rs 220-Rs 250 per kg as against Rs 72 per kg in January and an appalling Rs 5-Rs 10 per kg during the lockdown months of March and April in retail markets.
Representatives of the Poultry Farmers and Breeders' Association are happy that the industry is limping back to normal. "An estimated Rs 13,000 crore to Rs 15,000 crore loss was suffered by the industry in the last three months," association president Vasantkumar Shetty said.
"A fake message linking chicken to Covid-19 had devastated the market in the state. Because of this, many poultry farmers shut down their operations. As a result, there is demand and supply mismatch in the market. In the wholesale market, chicken is being sold at Rs 80-Rs 100 per kg. But since retailers are getting less supply and finding difficulties in transportation due to the current restrictions, they are selling at high rates," Shetty added.
The prices, he said, will go up further in the coming days till poultry farmers restart their business. "The chicken market is yet to revive completely as hotels and restaurants are closed," he added. According to the association, the current supply of chicken in the market is around 800-900 tonnes per day as against the earlier 2,200-2,500 metric tonnes across the state.
The companies which supply chicks to poultry farmers are not in a position to maintain usual supply due to financial constraints.
Vasant Hinge, president, Urja chicken, one of the major suppliers in Pune district, told TOI, "I have reduced my supply by half. I used to supply about 8 lakh chicks monthly to poultry farms across the district. Now, it has come down to 4 lakh as I am not in a position to resume normal operation due to losses faced in the last three months."