Kathmandu, December 26
Prices of chicken and eggs have been hiked in the market after Nepal Hatchery Industries’ Association’s ‘chicken holiday’, under which 6 million eggs waiting to be hatched were destroyed.
While the price of a crate of eggs has been hiked to Rs 290 from Rs 275, the price of chicken has been increased to Rs 285 from Rs 270. The hike comes a few weeks after the hatchery association urged all of its member enterprises to close their business for 10 days in its bid to press the government to increase the price of chicks. According to the association, producing a chick costs Rs 55 on an average whereas its market price is less than Rs 30. The market is estimated to have lost around 100,000 parent chickens during the ‘holiday’.
The egg producers’ association and the chicken sales association have, however, denied that the prices of eggs and chicken were increased following the hatcheries’ decision. Egg dealers’ association president Shiva Ram KC said. “We hiked the prices on our own. Consumers will not have to incur additional burden,” he added. Similar is the chicken association’s claim. Association chief Jung Bahadur BC said that the prices were not hiked in view of the ‘chicken holiday.’
Meanwhile, consumer rights activists have alleged that the associations colluded to hike prices in the market and the government did not do anything about it. “The associations and the government colluded to hike prices. Consumers have to bear the brunt now,” consumer rights activist Jyoti Baniya said.
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