Kathmandu, July 26

The price of chicken has skyrocketed in the domestic market in recent days. Citing the recent floods and hike in customs tax on chicken feed, traders in the domestic market have increased the price of chicken.

According to the Nepal Livestock Traders Association (NLTA), the price of chicken has increased by 10 to 15 per cent compared to the price two to three months back. As per the association, the price of feed has risen due to the hike in customs duty. The market price of chicken has also been affected by the news of bird flu detected in a few poultry farms.

Immediately after customs tax was raised the market was hit by the bird flu scare and floods, due to which farmers have not added new chicks in their farm.

As per data compiled by NLTA, around one million chickens are being consumed every day across the country. Of the total, around 350,000 units of chickens are being consumed inside Kathmandu Valley itself. However, consumption has declined by 40 per cent in recent days.

Currently, the price of live broiler chicken has reached Rs 250 per kg, an increase by Rs 50 and in retail shops, the price of such chicken is Rs 260 per kg. Meanwhile, the price of dressed broiler chicken hovers between Rs 370 and Rs 380 per kg currently while the price ranged from Rs 270 to Rs 285 per kg a month back. Wholesalers have been selling dressed broiler chicken at Rs 350 per kg at present.

As per NLTA, most of the broiler chickens that are consumed in the Valley are being supplied from Banepa, Kathmandu, Chitwan, Dang, Makawanpur and Kaski.

As the floods damaged the poultry farms in the Tarai, the Valley’s production is being supplied to the Tarai region too due to which the market is facing a shortage of late. Not only chicken, the domestic market has also been witnessing a shortage of goat meat. Due to the strict checking of imported goat at the quarantine centres the market is facing a shortage of goat meat. Hence, traders have hiked its price. Currently, the price of goat meat has reached Rs 1,300 per kg.