Broiler, egg prices decline 30% on bird flu outbreak

Chicken prices drop to Rs 38 a kg, eggs at Rs 140 per 100.

Broiler chicken and egg prices have crashed by 25-30 per cent in various parts of the country following the confirmation of bird flu in West Bengal on Tuesday.

"Consumption of poultry and egg has come down by about 25 per cent, leading to a crash in prices of these products", said Surjit Singh, managing director of Chandigarh-based Sagri Hatcheries.

Singh said prices had been declining ever since large-scale mortality of poultry was reported from West Bengal about a week ago.

Poultry prices in Delhi have come down from Rs 50 to Rs 38 a kg while egg prices (ex farm) have declined from Rs 200 (per 100 eggs) to Rs 140 during the period.

On January 15, the Union government confirmed bird flu in Birbhum and South Dinajpur districts of West Bengal. Culling operations are on in the affected areas.

"In Bangalore, egg prices have come down (from Rs 195 to Rs 170 per 100 eggs) in the last ten days because of low consumption ahead of Ayappaswamy and Makar Sakranti, and not because of bird flu," said B R Sainath, Karnataka zonal chairman of National Egg Coordination Committee.

Godrej Agrovet, a leading player of processed poultry products, said there had been no impact on its sales since the outbreak was limited to West Bengal. The NECC and the poultry industry have long been demanding zoning of poultry farming areas.

The zoning, they claim, would ensure the poultry business in the rest of the country went on unhindered even if a remote corner was affected by diseases. This will also prevent any negative impact on exports in case of such outbreaks.

At the Bombay Stock Exchange, the share prices of poultry companies saw a downward trend on reports of bird flu. The share prices of Srinivasa Hatcheries closed at Rs 90, down 4.86 per cent over its previous close, while that of Venky's India slipped by 1.93 per cent to Rs 192.85.