Poultry products become dearer

Poultry products become dearer Archit Watts
Tribune News Service

Jammu, November 8
With the onset of winter, the rising demand for eggs and broiler has increased the prices of poultry products by almost 10 per cent as compared to last month. There is a huge demand for poultry products in the state, but the production is much less. As a result, traders here import poultry products from Punjab and other neighbouring states to meet the demand.

The wholesale price of chicken in Jammu region has increased from Rs 85 a kg last month to Rs 95-100 a kg, traders said.

The price of eggs has also moved upwards. In the wholesale market, 100 eggs now cost Rs 323 as compared to Rs 300 last month.

In the retail market, one egg is available between Rs 4 and Rs 5. “The price will rise further in the winter season, when the consumption of poultry products increases,” said Rawail Singh, a trader.

He said the Eid festival and the rise in price of soyabean, a key ingredient in the poultry feed, have also caused a spurt in prices of poultry items.

“A day-old chicken costs Rs 25, and takes almost one month to grow and attain the weight of about 1 kg,” added Rawail Singh.

Officials in the Sheep and Animal Husbandry Department also accepted the fact that there was an increase in the prices of poultry products because of the rise in their demand.

“Our state is dependent on other states for poultry products. We are putting in efforts to increase the local production, but the demand is also increasing, which becomes the reason for the price rise,” said Manzoor Ahmed, in charge of the poultry wing of the Sheep and Animal Husbandry Department.