Fish, meat prices soar as chicken off the menu

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The plummeting demand for chickens in the wake of bird flu outbreaks across the country has led to a sharp rise in prices of fish, beef and mutton over the last week.

Various small fish were selling at prices upped by Tk 20 to Tk 30 per kg at Karwan Bazar, New Market, Hatirpool and Ananda Bazar yesterday.

Fish including mola, chapila, meni, puti, kholshe and small ruhi that sold at Tk 100 to Tk 120 a kg last week cost Tk 130 to Tk 160 a kg yesterday.

During the same period, prices of hilsha, big ruhi, koi, tengra, pabda, chital and prawn increased by Tk 50 to Tk 100 a kg. Hilsa sold at Tk 350 to Tk 400, ruhi at Tk 200 to Tk 220 and local koi at Tk 300 to Tk 400 a kg yesterday.

Fish traders at Karwan Bazar said despite adequate supplies, prices have been rising steeply because more and more people are turning to fish.

They, however, said fish prices usually start going up during this time of the year since the pick fishing season ends by the end of February.

“Customers don’t want to eat chicken for fear of bird flu. They want fish and beef,” said Rokeya Begum, owner of a restaurant at Agamasi Lane in old Dhaka.

She said she had to increase price of a meal by Tk 5. “I’m afraid I’ll have to raise it by Tk 5 more, or else I won’t be able to manage my business.”

Meanwhile, traders said the price of poultry has come down to Tk 65 to Tk 75 a kg from Tk 80 to Tk 90 in a week.

Jahangir Hossain, a poultry trader at Karwan Bazar, said, “I used to sell around 100 kilograms of chicken a day, whereas now I sell only 60 kgs.”

Beef sold at Tk 180 to Tk 200 a kg yesterday while only a week ago it was Tk 170 to Tk 180. The price of better quality mutton rose to Tk 280 to Tk 300 a kg from Tk 260 to Tk 280 a kg.

The mutton that sold at Tk 200 to Tk 220 a kg last week was Tk 220 to Tk 250 a kg yesterday.

Meanwhile, taking advantage of the situation, the unscrupulous traders have been selling buffalo meat as beef.

“We are forced to do so because the price of cow has increased manifold. If we are to sell pure beef, we’ll have to charge Tk 220 per kg,” said a meat trader at Ananda Bazar.

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