A+ A- Hyderabad: After being sold for Rs 280 per kg for several months the chicken price has dropped by more than half to Rs120 per kg making the consumers happy. The slump in chicken consumption has made the poultry farmers looking for means to reduce the losses which are said to running to crores of rupees. The reason for the steep drop in the chicken price is three-fold. In fact, the chicken prices started witnessing drop in July last owing to the two holy months of Ashadham and Sravanam. Bonalu festival is celebrated in Ashadham season where a large number of sheep and goats are sacrificed and eaten by the people. Those who do not celebrate Bonalu refrain from eating mutton. This season is known as Sravanam. According to market sources, Chicken consumption dropped by 50 per cent during Sravanam. This has automatically led to a steep fall in prices chicken. The chicken was being sold for half its price from July. Traders say that the Telangana ranks number one in the country in chicken production as well as its consumption. The drop in prices got a further push owing to three-day Bakrid festival that was celebrated on August 11. According to traders they have sold about 100,000 livestock in three days of Eid alone. Muslims who offer sacrifice make three equal parts of the mutton—one is given to the poor, the other to the neighbours and relatives and the remaining one is kept by them. Some of the Muslims also give away a large portion from their own share to the needy. Sanjeev Chintavar, a poultry expert and NECC (National Egg Coordination Committee) business manager, said daily consumption of chicken in is around 6 lakh kg across the State, of the total consumption of chicken in the state, Hyderabad alone eats 50 per cent of it. “At the poultry farm gate, a bird is being sold for Rs 60 to Rs 70 as compared with Rs 150-170 two months ago. Traders said that the slump in chicken prices is expected to remain on a weak wicket for the next three week. “We are expecting recovery after that,” they said. Authored by Mohammed Hussain mohammedhussain.reporter@gmail.com

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