Poultry prices skyrocket in Nepal
The ban of parent chick imports into Nepal from countries suspected of bird-flu has triggered a shortage of chicken and eggs, resulting in a fresh price hike in poultry products.
Some poultry entrepreneurs have warned that the prices could further increase, culminating to a record high with supplies showing no sign of improvement.
Fearing possible transmission of bird flu, the government in Nepal has put a stop to the import of parent chicks from Bangladesh, the US, Denmark and Germany.
“We were importing chicks from Australia but it could not be continued due to inconvenience in flight schedules. The chicks are vulnerable if undelivered within a given time,” said Til Chandra Bhattarai, managing director of Pancharatna Poultry Group.
Not enough to fulfil demand
According to Bhattarai, the immediate past president of Nepal Poultry Entrepreneurs Forum, the stock of parent population of broiler chicken stands at only 280,000, down from around 400,000 that is necessary to fulfil the current demand. He adds that the market is seeing a 12% deficit in supplies.
The population of the egg laying chicken is also running low. “We need at least 40,000 chicks in the farms, but right now there are only around 32,000,” Bhattarai said, adding that the situation is going to further worsen as import of chicks has come to a standstill. “We are preparing to import chicks from Sri Lanka as bird-flu has not been detected there and flight schedule from there to Nepal is also convenient. But it will take time.”
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