CHENNAI: This Christmas might just be one with a white meat platter, despite a not-so-bright November sales of chicken with the bird flu scare. And let’s not forget abstinence from meat owing to the Holy Sabarimala pilgrimage.
However, December seems to be a whole different story. Chicken prices are on an upward trajectory in terms of price, as volumes sold since this Monday have seen a price increase of over `10 since last week, and this is expected to hold till past Pongal. “Christmas is the season where chicken sales pick up. Small shops would sell around 100 chickens per day as compared to 50 chickens per day in November, and we expect sales to pick up from today,” said P S Manavalen, Advisor, Tamil Nadu Poultry Wholesale Traders Association.
“Chicken has been a staple meal for us every Christmas, despite there being a slight price hike over the previous month. This is no reason to leave something that we have relished every Christmas,” says Anto George, a software professional.
Mutton too, is not far behind, selling in equal quantities this season. On an average, one kilo of mutton is selling at around `500 a kilo at most meat shops in the city. A few places around the city do sell turkey for around `500 a kilo as well.