Price hike could push chicken delicacies out of reach

Chicken dishes may get pricier and go out of reach of the common man wishing to enjoy dining out, given the increasing prices of the main ingredients that go into their preparation.
A worker at a chicken outlet in Edappally market | Albin Mathew
A worker at a chicken outlet in Edappally market | Albin Mathew

KOCHI: Chicken dishes may get pricier and go out of reach of the common man wishing to enjoy dining out, given the increasing prices of the main ingredients that go into their preparation. With the price of chicken rising by 50% in just one month, coupled with the steep rise in the rate of cooking gas and ingredients like onion, the restaurants and hotels that have reopened dine-in services after a long time are feeling the pinch.

“We have been clawing our way back in terms of financial stability. But the increasing price of chicken and other ingredients, along with the high rate for cooking gas, has dealt us a severe blow,” said G Jayapal, general secretary, Kerala Hotel and Restaurants Association (KHRA).  

“We can remove the chicken dishes from the menu, close shop or increase the prices to match that of the raw materials. However, won’t that be a slap on the face of the customers who too are affected by the price rise of nearly all essential items?” asked Jayapal.  He alleged the Tamil Nadu lobby’s intervention has led to the sudden increase in chicken prices in the state.  “They have artificially inflated the prices,” he said.
The situation can be controlled if the state government steps in, Jayapal said. 

However, the All Kerala Poultry Federation refuted the allegations. “There has been no artificial increase in the chicken prices. We had to raise the prices after the rates of the chicks, feed and other associated materials needed for poultry farming increased,” said M Thajudeen, the poultry federation president.  The price for broiler chicken is fixed by a council comprising producers of all four southern states, he said. “Currently, chicken is sold at Rs 130 per kg in the wholesale market,” Thajudeen pointed out.

At the same time, chicken is being retailed at Rs 154 per kg in the city.

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