Prices of chicken, eggs likely to plummet in a day or two, say merchants 

Mysuru:  Karnataka and Kerala have sounded an alert to contain two strains of bird flu — H5N1 and H5N8 — in recent days after the deaths of birds especially in Kerala and this has directly impacted the poultry industry in Mysuru.

Hundreds of poultry farms in Mysuru depend on Kerala hotels to market meat and eggs and with the ban on movement of trucks to the neighbouring State, there is a slump in demand and naturally the poultry industry is again bracing for losses like last year. 

The demand and sale of chicken and eggs dipped drastically last year amid bird flu scare and restaurants and eateries cancelled their bulk orders. Thousands of birds were culled, pushing poultry farmers into deep crisis. 

Mysuru city has over 64 poultry farms and there are over 200 in the district. They mainly produce broiler chicken to be sent to Kerala as the neighbouring State is the biggest consumer. The products supplied to chicken shops, hotels and restaurants in Mysuru are limited with bulk being sent to Kerala with a daily load of 10 to 11 trucks, each carrying birds that weigh up to six tonnes. 

Due to the ban, these trucks cannot transport birds and the stocks are piling up and with bleak market in Mysuru due to the scare, prices are set to fall. Every day, over 66,000 kgs of chicken is added up to the stocks. “Forget broiler chicken, even the popular ‘naati’ variety too is not seeing any demand,” say poultry farm owners. 

Normally, once the eggs hatch, it takes 40 to 60 days for a bird to grow and they are well fed to develop meat and fat. After 40 days, the birds eat more and due to this, feed consumption too increases and if the birds are not sold, it will be a loss to the poultry farmer. 

Lack of demand

Lack of demand will naturally decrease the prices, say chicken merchants. At present, 1 kg of meat is sold between Rs. 120 and Rs. 200 and the prices are set to see a downward trend in a day or two, said merchants. “Usually, the price of chicken declines during summer every year as there is less demand for fowls during hot climate. This year, however, we are foreseeing a slump in prices early,” said a merchant.

Mysuru Traders Coordination Committee President Ramesh Bhyrappa told Star of Mysore that since 10 to 11 loads of poultry does not go to Kerala, there will be a glut and this will reduce prices. “Traders buy birds from poultry owners after paying Rs. 85 per kg and after adding other costs, the meat is sold at the  stalls at Rs. 120 per kg. The prices will drop in one or two days,” he said. 

5,752 birds culled 

Last year, due to flu scare and bird deaths in Metagalli, Kumbarakoppal and surrounding areas 5,752 birds were culled as a precautionary measure and a compensation of Rs. 4.17 lakh was paid to the poultry farmers, said Dr. Suresh, Assistant Director of Animal Husbandry Department. “For one meat-yielding bird we paid Rs. 70 per bird as compensation and for one egg-yielding bird, Rs. 90 was paid. For ‘naati’ variety Rs. 135 and Rs. 35 were paid per bird as per the size,” he said.