Rising cost of poultry products has hoteliers worried

Neeraj Bagga

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, June 7

Hoteliers and restaurant owners, who are set to resume operations for takeaways and home deliveries from tomorrow onwards, are jittery over the rising cost of poultry products.

The government has allowed the reopening of restaurants for takeaways and home delivery, and at hotels, food will be served in rooms only.

Navdeep Singh, manager of Astoria restaurant, said the cost of broiler before the lockdown was between Rs 130 and Rs 140, but it had now increased to Rs 230 to Rs 250.

Similarly, the price of mutton per kg was now Rs 600 to Rs 650, while it was Rs 400 per kg earlier. A kg of boneless mutton was now Rs 900, while it would cost Rs 550 before the lockdown.

GS Bedi, president of the Amritsar Poultry Association, said the production of broiler had come down to 30 to 40 per cent. “Earlier, 12 to 20 lakh chicks used to be reared in hatcheries, but the number has now declined to five lakh,” he said.

He said there was a huge gap between demand and supply. Most orders for poultry products would come from hotels, restaurants and resorts, which were likely to open in phases from the next week.