Hyderabad: Cross-infection in poultry farms due to different viruses in the air has led to fatality in chicken which is one of the main causes for the high prices of meat.
The price of chicken in the state continues to be above Rs 200 for one kg since the last 15 days. Poultry owners on the outskirts of Keesara and in Ranga Reddy district say that they are finding the fowls getting sick and the infection spreading fast. Due to this reason, the owners face losses and are not bringing down the market price.
D. Ramesh, a poultry farm owner in Ranga Reddy district says, "The prices are decided based on production and also fluctuations in the market. With petrol prices rising, the cost of transportation has increased. There is no one factor for increase in prices. We have to maintain stability to ensure that minimum costs are recovered."
Prices in May and early June ranged from Rs 130 to Rs 150. But now the prices have been stable above Rs 200 and that is being seen as a baseline for future.
Veterinarians state that cross-infections in poultry and domesticated animals are common and they are tackled at the farm level.
Whether the cross-infections are more due to active SARS-Cov 2 has not been documented so far. But the microbiologists from the College of Veterinary Science are taking samples and experts are conducting research on domestic animals and the virus impact on them.
