The price of chicken has increased sharply in the market over the weeks due to short supply. Price of a kilogram of chicken rose up to Rs. 440 in the retail market from Rs. 380 within two weeks owning to lower supply against the demand, said Janga Bahadur Belbase, president of National Chicken Seller Association.
He said that the association had fixed the price of chicken at Rs. 400 per kilogram for Thursday which is an all-time high in the Kathmandu Valley. According to him, they increased the price effective from today by holding discussions with stakeholders, analysing the production and supply. The price of chicken fluctuates based on the demand and supply, he said.
Earlier, the association had fixed the price of chicken at Rs. 380.
“The retailers are selling chicken at up to Rs. 440 per kilogram even though the association has fixed its price at Rs. 400 per kilogram. This is not a good practice,” Belbase said. “Demand for chicken is normal, but its supply has dropped significantly which contributed to the noticeable price hike,” he told The Rising Nepal. He predicted that the price of chicken will increase further as a series of festivals and wedding season are approaching.
Price of chicken did not fall even through cases of bird flu were observed frequently in the Kathmandu Valley due to limited supply, he said. According to him, the demand for meat in the Kathmandu Valley is 400,000 kg per day but the supply stands only at 250,000 kg. The total demand for chicken across the country is 800,000 kg while the current supply stands at 400,000 kg.
Guna Chandra Bista, President of Poultry Federation of Nepal, said that production has declined due to COVID-19 while production was affected due to fear of bird flu and lack of feeds. Farmers are still apprehensive about poultry farming as they faced huge losses due to the COVID-19, he said.
Farmers are getting around Rs. 260 per kg for live bird at present which is unnatural price for farmers during normal times, he said.
He, however, said that many farmers had faced losses even though they sold a kilo of live bird at Rs. 260 as there is more risk to grow chicken during this season.
Source : THE RISING NEPAL,
