Kolkata, Dec 20 (IANS): Adding to the woes of the middle-class consumers in Kolkata, the retail price of chicken in the city has skyrocketed by almost Rs 60 a kg in the past 10 days.

According to a member of the task force constituted to keep the prices of essential commodities under check, the average price of chicken in the retail markets in Kolkata is hovering between Rs 220 and Rs 230 a kg, which was between Rs 160 and Rs 170 a kg just a week back.

The exorbitant price rise for this affordable portentous food for the middle class consumers has really become a headache for the task force members now.

According to the task force member, with the advent of winter, there have been several cases of poultry deaths because of virus attacks in different pockets of the city, which resulted into a disruption in the supply of chicken in the retail markets of the city, thus pushing up the price.

“Generally, the average demand for chicken per month in West Bengal is about 3.5 lakh kg, which increases with the advent of winter because of year-end picnics. But this year, the increase in demand has not been complemented by adequate supply because of the virus-related poultry deaths,” said a member of the task force.

Besides chicken, the price of eggs too has gone up, adding to the woes of the middle-class consumers.

The average price for a piece of egg in the retail market in the city is around Rs 8, as compared to Rs 5.50 each a month back.