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KATHMANDU, June 12: Due to the decline in consumption of meat products, the National Chicken Sellers Association (NSCA) has reduced the price of broiler chicken meat in the Kathmandu Valley, with the new rates taking effect from Wednesday.
The NSCA reduced the price of live broiler chicken by Rs 10 per kg, bringing it down to Rs 220 per kilogram from the previous rate of Rs 230. Traders say consumers can now buy fresh chicken meat starting at Rs 300 per kilogram.
Chicken price rises to Rs 410 per kg
In mid-May, the NSCA had already slashed the price of live chicken by Rs 10, setting it at Rs 250 per kilogram. Since then, prices have continued to decline. The NSCA says the market supply remains stable. As summer began, meat consumption dropped, leading to a steady fall in prices. NSCA president Jung Bahadur BC confirmed the trend, saying, "Meat consumption dropped with the onset of summer, and prices fell due to low demand."
He said production volume remains comparatively low. "Every year during the mango season, the demand for meat decreases. When demand falls, raising prices does not boost sales," he explained. "The price dropped not because of excess chicken meat but because reduced demand lowered the selling price." He added that meat consumption has fallen by 15 to 20 percent compared to before.
Traders say the drop in trading prices for live chickens and processed meat will show its effects within one and a half to two months. As prices begin to fall, farmers and poultry firms cut back on the number of chicks they raise. When fewer chickens become ready for sale after 40 to 42 days, supply starts falling short of market demand. After that, prices tend to rise, they said.
Since mid-April, market demand has remained sluggish. Cold storage operators say transactions have not picked up as expected.
