Chicken, mutton prices skyrocket in Patna

PATNA: Prices of non-vegetarian food like chicken and mutton, which had fallen during lockdown period due to lack of demand, have suddenly increased in the city.
For instance, mutton, which used to be sold at Rs 550-Rs 650 per kg, is now available at Rs 800 per kg. Likewise, chicken is being sold at Rs 150-Rs 200 per kg. During lockdown, chicken prices had gone down to as low as Rs 30-Rs50 per kg.
“Prices of non-veg food, especially mutton, do not reach this level even during Holi,” said Sujeet Kumar, a resident of Bans Ghat area.
Meat shop owners have blamed unavailability of non-vegetarian food for rise in prices. Gyasuddin Khan, owner of a meat shop near Raja Bazaar, said there has been a scarcity of chicken as well as goat in the city as an after-effect of lockdown.
Chintoo Alam, a chicken trader, said he has no option but to sell chicken at the rate of Rs 180 per kg. “The lockdown had caused massive financial losses to us. We are left with no other option but to sell chicken at increased prices. Moreover, there is a huge scarcity of chicken in the market. Though people have started eating chicken, the demand is still comparatively low,” Alam added.
Rajesh Singh, manager of a restaurant on Boring Road said, “Despite the increase in prices of raw meat, we have not increased the prices of cooked non-veg food.”