At Rs. 320 per kg, chicken prices reach an all-time-high in AP

Vijayawada: The price of broiler chicken has shot up once again across Andhra Pradesh and reached an all-time high of Rs. 310 per kg due to a drop in production and surge in feed costs. Traders expect prices to further shoot up in the coming days due to the increasing gap between demand and supply.

The price of dressed broiler chicken was Rs. 230 per kg on 1 May. Within two weeks, the price shot up to Rs. 310-320 per kg across the state on Sunday.

Andhra Pradesh produces around five crore birds per month and the average demand for broiler chicken is around 8-10 lakh kg per day in the state. The mortality rate of birds increased in the summer resulting in a shortage of supply by at least 30%.

The deep-sea fishing ban (from 15 April to 14 June) was one of the reasons for people increasingly showing an interest in broiler chicken in the summer as they found it difficult to find seafood (fish, crabs, and prawns) in the retail market. The availability of freshwater fish also decreased due to hot weather conditions.

The increasing cost of bird feed

The president of the Broiler Chicken Association of north Andhra Pradesh, T. Appalaraju, said the rise in the price of chicken was the result of the increased cost of fodder, increased demand for meat, and a shortage of supply. The hot and humid weather conditions in parts of the state claimed the lives of birds at many poultry farms. The price of broiler chicken will stabilise after some weeks, he added.

The input cost in the poultry sector has been increasing due to a sharp increase in the price of bird feed, especially soya and maize. The feed cost has recently increased to more than Rs. 2,100 per packet from Rs. 1,300. The mortality rate of birds increased from the first week of May due to hot weather conditions. The price of broiler chicken may further increase in the coming days, said T. Appala Naidu, a poultry farmer.

The steep rise in the price of chicken has added to the misery of consumers who are already feeling the pinch of skyrocketing tomato prices. Chicken prices have increased by over Rs. 100 per kg while the price of tomato shot to Rs. 60 per kg. "We have no option but to cut down on the quantity we purchase," said M. Lakshmi, a housewife in Vizag city.

Key points:

The price of broiler chicken:

May 14, 2022: Rs. 320 per kg

May 1, 2022: Rs. 230 per kg

April 1, 2022: Rs. 240 per kg

April 16, 2022: Rs. 230 per kg

March 1, 2022: Rs. 260 per kg

Chicken prices have touched an all-time high in AP crossing Rs. 320 per kg

The cost of poultry feed has increased from Rs. 26 per kg to Rs. 50 per kg

The consumption of chicken is more than fish in Andhra Pradesh.

The average demand for chicken meat is over 8-10 lakh kg per day in the state.

The average consumption of eggs is only 75 eggs per year in AP.

Hot weather has also hit the growth of the birds.