Janga Bahadur BC, president of National Chicken Sellers´ Association, said factors like drop in temperature and outbreak of bird flu in different parts of the country affected poultry production during the review period.
According to the association, about 25-30 percent of poultry farmers have shifted to other professions after the incurred loss in poultry business.
BC said farmers are quitting poultry farming due to increase in production cost and drop in price of poultry products.[break]
“Farmers had to suffer loss for more than fourth months this year as the price of live chicken went down to Rs 110 per kg which is lower than their operating cost,” BC said, adding that poultry production cost hovers over Rs 150 per kg.
According to BC, farmers had to suffer loss not only due to low price but also because of increased mortality of chicken in farms due to bird-flu and other viral, bacterial and fungal diseases.
Meanwhile, drop in production has sent chicken prices soaring in recent months. The associated has raised chicken prices more than five times in less than two months. Chicken has become dearer by Rs 75 per kg over the past two months. On Wednesday, the association raised chicken price by Rs 15 per kg to Rs 285 per kg.
“We were left with no option than to raise price of chicken due to drop in production amid rise in demand,” said BC. “We are hopeful that gradual rise in prices will lure farmers back into poultry farming.”
Daily consumption of chicken in the Kathmandu Valley hovers around 250,000 kg.
BC said they were facing difficulty in meeting demand of the valley due to low production.
Poultry traders in the Valley source chicken from local farms as well as from Dhading, Kavre, Nuwakot, and Chitwan, among others.
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