Visakhapatnam: Chicken lovers in Vizag are a disappointed lot with prices of country-bred birds increasing by 25 to 30 per cent. Price of mutton too has shot up ahead of Dasara.
Chicken traders say that the prices of sheep and country-bred birds may stabilise only during the Kartika month, which is considering auspicious for Hindus.
The price of dressed country-bred chicken touched Rs 420 per kg on Sunday from Rs 320 per kg in all the major markets in the city. Traders say that it may touch Rs 450 on Dasara day, as there is huge demand for the birds. Similarly, the price of mutton touched Rs 620 per kg on Sunday and it may soar further.
Dasara is a festival for foodies, particularly for people who love country chicken or mutton. “Traders are looting us citing the demand and supply gap,” said P. Arun Kumar, a resident.
A majority of vehicle owners perform animal sacrifice on Dasara as a tradition and offer it to Goddess Durga on Dasara day as part of Ayudha puja hence the demand for sheep, goat or rooster has increased.
A sheep or goat weighing around 12 to 15 kg is fetching between Rs 14,000 and Rs 18,000, while the usual price hovers around Rs 8,000. Similarly, live country-bred chicken is fetching Rs 370 to Rs 400 while it was around '300 earlier.
“The demand for the meat will be very high till Diwali,” R. Ramana, a butcher, said.
