Poultry prices are increasing due to lockdown of markets across the states

The country is still facing a major threat from prevailing COVID-19 in the country with the cases nearing to one million. Shutdowns across states continuing due to the rising coronavirus numbers have pushed up retail prices of fish and chicken by 10-20 percent.

Retailers are not able to visit the wholesale markets to purchase and sell the meat of chicken and fish as fears of the virus is prevailed in the country.

In contrast, consumer demand for the meat has grown up as people who stopped visiting restaurants and eat outside now prefer to cook at home due to the COVID-19, pushing the prices up.

“The poultry sector in India had been severely hit due to the coronavirus outbreak with myths and misinformation spread reduced the consumption of chicken and lead to minimal sales. Which forced farmers to cull chicks,” said Ramesh Khatri, president of Poultry Federation of India to ET.

“They faced huge financial stress. Now, as the supply has not gone back to the earlier level. Also, these shutdowns are impacting chicken supply resulting in prices moving up,” he added further.

The prices of Chicken which came down to Rs 160-170 per kg in the last few weeks is now up to Rs 210-220 per kg. As many people now prefer to eat at home and restaurants, hotels did not revive to earlier levels consumption increased and led to prices increase in the country.

Fish prices also increased by 10 percent to 20 percent as the consumption increased and the retailers are not visiting the wholesale markets to buy the fresh catch. In some places, mutton prices also increased due to the same reasons.

The market has been disrupted for the last few months which left all people involved in the business with losses. Revive of this sector is possible only when the virus is controlled as these markets emerged as potential COVID-19 hotspots.