Cuttack: The coronavirus scare in the state has taken a heavy toll on the poultry business in the Silver City here.
Poultry farmers are now selling chicken at throwaway prices as people have stopped eating the meat due to the corona virus scare.
Poultry shops are now charging around Rs 50 for a kilogram of dressed chicken while farmers are selling their chicken at Rs 22 per kilogram, sources said.
Just a few days ago, poultry shops were charging anywhere between Rs 140 and Rs 150 for a kilogram of dressed chicken. Even, the detection of bird flu in some parts of Cuttack city in recent past had least impact on the poultry business, sources added.
“There is a rumour that corona virus is spreading through the consumption of chicken and poultry products. As a result, people are unwilling to buy chicken even though the price has hit rock bottom. Most of the poultry shops will be closed if this situation continues for some more days,” said Santosh Kumar Sahu, owner of a poultry shop at Khannagar.
The sharp fall in chicken prices has affected the income of poultry farmers. The situation is so grim that farmers are facing difficulties in purchasing fodder for their poultry.
“Three chickens usually eat a kilogram of fodder a day. Now, we are buying fodder at Rs 35 per kg. We are not getting any profit. Most of the poultry farmers are unwilling to buy new chicks,” said Prasanta Kumar Sahu, a poultry farmer.
Director of Medical Education and Training CBK Mohanty, however, claimed that there is no link between chicken and corona virus. “People should not accept just any rumour and stop eating chicken,” he said.