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Flu scare jacks up mutton prices in Hyderabad

Cashing in on the apprehensions over consumption of chicken and eggs, meat shop owners have started to hike prices.

By S. Sandeep Kumar

Updated On - 11 January 2021, 12:45 AM

Flu scare jacks up mutton prices in Hyderabad — Representational Image

Hyderabad: The bird flu scare seems to have come as a blessing in disguise for meat shop owners in the city. And cashing in on the apprehensions over consumption of chicken and eggs, meat shop owners have started to hike prices.

On Sunday, many meat shop owners sold mutton for Rs 740 a kg and minced mutton for Rs 840 a kg, against the last week’s prices of Rs 700 a kg. In a span of a few days, the mutton prices were increased by the shop owners in many areas across the city. In some areas, boneless mutton was sold for Rs 960 a kg.

Ever since the news on bird flu in some parts of the country broke out and despite repeated advisories that Telangana is not impacted by it, there have been reports of an increase in demand for mutton. A meat shop owner in Yousufguda said that several families have started to prefer mutton over chicken and accordingly, the prices have started to go up. “We are selling mutton for Rs.740 a kg and minced mutton for Rs.840,” he said.

Another meat shop owner at Mothi Nagar says, prices increased at the wholesale markets in Chengicherla, Jiaguda, Amberpet and other areas too. “Considering the logistics and our margins, there is no option but increase the prices,” he adds.

Last May, when a similar situation prevailed, Animal Husbandry department and veterinary section of GHMC had fixed the price of meat in retail outlets at Rs.700 a kg. This was after the demand for meat increased considerably due to apprehensions over consumption of chicken in the wake of coronavirus.

So much so, the GHMC had then directed meat sellers to display price charts and instructed the veterinary officials to ensure the sellers sold meat at prescribed prices.Now, again a similar situation has started to prevail.

Poultry industry hit hard in north

New Delhi: After the coronavirus pandemic wreaked havoc on the country’s poultry industry, it is now reeling under the fresh threat of the bird flu infection. Due to the fear of bird flu, the sale of chicken and chicken products have been the worst-hit.

Especially in north India, the poultry industry has been badly affected by ban on the transportation of hens from one state to another. A delegation from the industry is scheduled to meet the central government on Sunday.

The cases of bird flu in poultry chickens have so far been found only in Haryana while most of them have been found in wild birds or migratory birds elsewhere and some cases have also been found in poultry ducks.

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