Broiler chicken price up Tk100 per kg in Chattogram

Chicken on sale in Chattogram.

Chattogram, Apr 07 - People are suffering because of the sudden increase of chicken prices just before Eid in the port city.

The chicken that was sold at the price of Tk 170 per kg during the month of Ramadan is now being sold at Tk 270 per kg.

Abdul Jabbar, a buyer of the Chawkbazar area of Chittagong city, said that the price of broiler chicken was high throughout the year. “Now it’s gone out of reach ahead of Eid,” he added.

“Sellers remained silent regarding the sudden price hike. Some, however, claimed that the farmers have raised the price of chicken due to the increase in demand compared to the supply in the market.”

 Alamgir, a chicken trader in the city's Riazuddin Bazar, said, "Due to the increased demand, the suppliers are charging higher prices. If the demand increases, the suppliers increase the price. So, we also increase it.”

Another trader wishing to remain anonymous said, "There is no control in the baby chicken market. The price of chicken feed and medicine is high. All the impact of production costs has fallen on the market. That’s why buyers are suffering."

It was seen from the market that broiler chicken weighing more than 2 kg is being sold at Tk 270 per kg which was sold last week for Tk 205-210. Layer and golden breed chickens are being sold at 310 to 330 per kg, and domestic chickens are being sold at Tk 500 to 550 per kg.

Mohammad Sattar, a chicken seller at Kazi Deuri market, said that the price of chicken may increase further ahead of Eid. The demand for chicken will increase around Eid. Even the suppliers will not be able to meet the demand.

The chicken market was crowded on Saturday. The buyers are buying 5 to 10 kg of chicken before Eid due to the fear of price increases.

Haji Abdul Hamid, a buyer of Riazuddin Bazaar, said, "Every year when Shabbat Qadr comes, the sellers increase the price of meat. The price of chicken has not come under Tk 200 for the last month. So I'm buying a little earlier before Eid."

The poor and middle-class people mostly consume chicken during Ramadan. However, due to the increase of chicken prices in the weeks around Sob-E-Qadr and Eid, it is now out of reach for many families.

SM Najer Hossain, Vice President of Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB), said that baby chicken prices or feed prices have not increased. So, there is no reason for the abnormal increase in chicken prices. “Due to the lack of proper monitoring by the administration, the buyers are suffering and the syndicate traders are cutting the pockets of the people,” he added. - UNB