Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (MS)

Udupi, Sep 11: The price of chicken meat is increasing steadily due to the heavy rains that lashed the state as well as the increase in the cost of raw materials used in the poultry industry.

In the month of August, the price of live chicken per kg was Rs 100. Now it has gone up to Rs 140 per kilo. Chicken with skin has touched Rs 200 up from the earlier Rs 150 and skinless chicken is being sold at Rs 220 per kg from the earlier Rs 170. The price of local chicken has gone up from Rs 300 to 320 per kg.

During monsoon, generally the price of chicken rises as fishing is banned in coastal areas. However, heavy rains in the plateau region of the state have hit the poultry industry badly. Rainwater has inundated many poultry farms and killed lacs of chickens.

Poultry farm owners say that increasing prices is inevitable as maintenance cost, electricity and death of chickens has increased the cost of production.

Apart from fish, chicken is used widely in coastal areas. As Udupi is a tourist destination, there are a number of non-vegetarian hotels. Every day thousands of kilos of chicken are sold to these hotels. Now an increase in the price of chicken will hit both the commoners and the hoteliers alike.

Consumers are lamenting that the price of chicken has shot up by Rs 60 per kilo in just 15 days. The chicken stalls and the farm owners are happy as they suffered huge losses due to low prices during the last two months.