Vijayawada: Poultry farmers elated as chicken flies back to menu

Vijayawada: Poultry industry, which was badly hit by fear of bird flu in Krishna district last month is gradually recovering from the losses as the chicken consumers restarted consumption and prices are gradually increasing.

The price of chicken had dropped from Rs200 to Rs150 -160 per kg in the retail market in the second and third week of January, causing losses to the poultry farmers.

Krishna district is well known for the poultry industry with more than 500 poultry units and with bird population of 1.50 crore. The sudden outbreak of bird flu in north Indian States of Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh triggered panic among the chicken consumers in Krishna district and badly affected the poultry sales. Many consumers stopped buying chicken which led to fall in prices.

Now, the price shot up to Rs170 per kg and is expected to rise further in the coming weeks. Hotels, restaurants, eateries, biryani points and roadside kiosks buy chicken in bulk quantities. Now, the restaurants started buying chicken as demand from the consumers is gradually increasing in recent days.

SK Bahadur, a chicken trader in Mahanti market, Beasant Road, said the demand for chicken has gradually gone in recent days and fear of bird flu decreased among the consumers. He said the consumers are coming to the market without any fear and buying the chicken.

Poultry industry is facing ups and downs since the Covid-19 outbreak in March 2020. Due to drastic fall of purchasing power caused due to the coronavirus lockdown, the consumers stopped buying chicken for many months.

The industry suffered many hardships during the lockdown and the post lockdown time, said K Hari Krishna, a poultry farmer in Nuzvid.

He said the poultry farmers were badly affected due to drastic fall of income for several months and falling demand. The chicken agents buy the chicken from poultry farms and sell to the retailer shops, hotels, restaurants and other eateries.

The poultry industry is one of the important sources of livelihood to thousands of farmers, traders, hoteliers, transporters and feed manufacturers.

Now, again the prices are gradually increasing and it will be beneficial to the poultry industry, he said.