Maximum retail price stipulated for chicken

Irangika Range

The Government yesterday stabilised the price of broiler chicken stipulating the maximum retail price of Rs.320 (per kilo) which will be effective for one year as a relief measure to consumers.

Addressing a media briefing yesterday in Colombo, Trade, Marketing Development, Cooperatives and Consumer Services Minister Bandula Gunawardhana said that the relevant agreement was signed by the Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) and the All Island Poultry Association yesterday at the Ministry premises.

The Minister said that the Cost of Living and Food Preservation Committee chaired by President Mahinda Rajapaksa has recommended stipulating the maximum retail price of broiler chicken with the objective of providing relief to consumers.

The Minister said any trader engaged in selling a kilo of broiler chicken at a higher price will be brought before the courts. The CAA will commence raids across the country from today to nab errant traders. Consumers can inform the details of unfair trading to the CAA hot line - 2399146.

The UPFA is the first Government which gazetted broiler chicken as a essential item for the benefit of ordinary masses in 2007. "Several errant traders were engaged in selling broiler chicken for more than Rs.300 during the last Sinhala Hindu New Year to earn extra profit. It led to broiler chicken being declared an essential item."

The Government then stipulated a maximum retail price of RS.260 per kilo of broiler chicken in 2007. Currently, traders are engaged in selling broiler chicken at various prices between Rs.300 to 350 to cover their production cost which increased rapidly with the price hike of animal feed due to the world food crisis.

Chairman of the All Island Poultry Association Dr. D.D. Wanasinghe said that nearly one million people are engaged in the poultry industry. He said that the industry has invested Rs.180 billion while It pays around Rs.18 million per month as a tax.

Though the Association requested for a price increase of Rs.350 per kilo of broiler chicken, it received only a Rs.320 upper limit. "We are not very satisfied about this price due to high production costs," he said.