Bengaluru: Meat prices play spoilsport

Bengaluru: The Christmas feast is a costly affair every year, as the annual rise in demand sends the prices of mutton and chicken through the roof. With Eid Milad and Christmas falling on consecutive days in 2014, consumers have been dealt a double whammy at meat shops across the city. Mutton, especially, has seen a significant rise in prices, costing about Rs 550 per kilogram, from the regular Rs 390 in hubs like Russell Market.

While some people have decided against mutton this year, others have simply cut down on quantity to accommodate their festival budgets. Prices have been on the rise over the last week, peaking on Thursday and Friday.

“Mutton biriyani is a Christmas specialty. Christmas is celebrated once a year and for many of us, there was no alternative, because the kids prefer mutton to chicken. We compromised on other things, like decorations and accessories, so that we didn’t have to cut back on the food,” said William Darwin, resident of Hennur.

Families also cut down on the number of guests they invite, another Christmas tradition. “Mutton is the children’s favourite and we couldn’t hamper their joy during Christmas by not giving them mutton, he added.

Lalitha Narasimhaiah, a Banasawadi resident, said the cost of mutton has gone up by Rs 50 in her area. “We have reduced the mutton quantity and replaced it with chicken,” she said.

Jamal Ahmed, a mutton merchant at Russell Market, said the prices have gone up to Rs 550 per kg for special varieties of mutton and Rs 440 for ordinary mutton. Prices have gone up due to back to back Eid Milad and Christmas, he said.