A strengthening supply situation dragged down the poultry prices in the capital, where consumption of poultry products is highest in the country. [break]
"Robust physical growth of chickens during the last few months has augmented the supply situation, which led the price to fall. The capital, which had to depend on outside supplies in the other seasons, is now having comfortable supplies from farms in adjoining areas as well as the valley itself," said Janga Bahadur BC, president of Kathmandu Valley Chicken Sellers Association. Supplies have gone up by over 20-30 percent in recent months.
Supplies from chicken farms in Kavre, Nuwakot, Bhaktapur, Lalitpur, Dhading and Kathmandu fulfill the entire demand in the valley. Earlier, these districts used to cover around 60 to 70 percent of demand in the capital while the remaining supplies were sourced mainly from Chitwan, Makawanpur Sindhuli and Nawalparasi.
"Besides, less than expected sale of chicken during the recent festive season resulted in stock pile-up in the chicken farms," said BC. Poultry entrepreneurs said daily consumption of chicken in the Kathmandu valley hovers around 300,000 kg.
Amid rising supply volume, price of chicken has dropped to Rs 170 per kg from Rs 180 a kg. With the fresh slide in the price, farm price of live chicken has dropped to Rs 125 per kg from Rs 135 a kg a few days back.
According to BC, price of chicken would not go down further as the pace of physical growth of chicken in the farms would not be the same with the onset of winter.
"Maybe, this is the last time the price has dropped for this year as we can see a gradual fall in the production of chicken in the farms with the arrival of cold months," he added.
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