Warangal: Sundays turn bitter for non-veg lovers

Warangal: With the prices of chicken, meat and fish hitting the roof, Sundays turning out to be bitter for the lower middleclass and the poor. It may not be a big constraint for the affluent sections, but for these sections the Sundays are fiestas as they prefer to sit back at home and savour non-vegetarian food. For some households, it's must for them to have non-vegetarian food in their menu on Sundays.

Of late, their practice is taking a beat with the prices of chicken, meat, fish and other seafood varieties constantly on the rise. The only solace for the denizens is that the prices of vegetables. With majority of people lost their income due to coronavirus (Covid-19) lockdown, they are finding it even more difficult to bear with the sky- rocketing prices.

The chicken price that plummeted to a record-low in the early days of coronavirus pandemic is now shot up to Rs 350 per kilo. Then there was a never-before offer from the retailers and wholesalers selling the chicken and live birds at Rs 40 per kg. "Then, it was indeed a distress sale as people didn't show interest in buying the chicken, this despite there was a campaign that Covid-19 has nothing to do with the chicken. The traders were forced to get rid of their birds before their life-cycle was completed," A Babu, a chicken retailer, said.

On the other hand, mutton-movers are having a tough time. The mutton commands a price of above Rs 800 per kg. The cost of fish and other seafood also catapulted to a new level. The price of Bomme – also known as murrel, koramenu – that hovered around Rs 400 per kg is now Rs 600 per kg. The other varieties - Rohu, Boche, Bangaruteega etc - that used to cost Rs 150 per kg is now Rs 200 kg.

"Already reeling under the impact of coronavirus lockdown, if some people had lost their income totally the situation for the others those who are working with government and private establishments is also similar as they have facing pay cut," Dr Thirunahari Seshu, Economics Department, Kakatiya University, told The Hans India. Dr Seshu also demanded the government to control the skyrocketing prices of essential commodities.