March 25, 2025
DHAKA – Ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr, prices of different varieties of chicken have increased by Tk 30 to Tk 50 per kilogrammes in Dhaka’s kitchen markets.
While visiting different kitchen markets including Karwan Bazar, Kazipara, Shewrapara and Ibrahimpur over the past couple of days, this correspondent found that broiler chicken was being sold at Tk 215-225 per kg.
A week ago, however, the price of this variety of chicken was between Tk 180 and Tk 190 per kg.
Besides, Sonali chicken was being sold at Tk 300-330 per kg, up from Tk 270-300 per kg a week earlier.
Moreover, local variety of chicken was being sold at Tk 580-650 per kg, up from Tk 550-600 last week.
Small traders at these kitchen markets recently told The Daily Star that the prices of different chicken varieties usually shoot up two to three days before Eid-ul-Fitr.
But this time, prices have already increased about 10 to 12 days before Eid, they said.
As reasons behind the price hike, a number of traders said a fear has developed in the farms that many city dwellers could start leaving Dhaka early since the Eid vacation is longer this year.
The traders alleged that a section of poultry farmers, in collusion with wholesalers, have increased chicken prices, thinking that the holidays might lead to a fall in the demand for chickens during Eid and this could decrease their profit margin.
Safar Uddin, a small chicken trader at Shewrapara, said that he usually brings up chickens from Kaptan Bazar wholesale market to sell at his shop.
He said that last week, he bought broiler chicken at Tk 170-175 per kg at wholesale price and later sold them at Tk 180-190 per kg. Now, he has to buy the same variety at Tk 200 per kg at the wholesale market.
Nayeem Hossain, a private firm employee, yesterday went to Shewrapara kitchen market to buy chickens for his family.
He said he bought broiler chicken at Tk 220 per kg and the Sonali variety at Tk 330 per kg, which were priced about Tk 35 to Tk 40 per kg lower two weeks earlier.
Suman Hawlader, president of the Bangladesh Poultry Association, which is a platform of small poultry farmers, admitted the price hike at the farm level but denied the reasons described by the small traders.
Suman claimed the price hike at the farm level was because of a rise in the production cost.
He claimed broiler chickens which are hitting the market now were bought at a higher price of Tk 80-90 per piece as chicks about 30 to 35 days earlier.
At present, the price of such chicks is Tk 55-60.
Besides, they have to raise and feed the chicks at the farms which also cost them significantly, he said, claiming that price of poultry feed also increased slightly over the past one and a half months.
He, however, said the price of Sonali chicken is not supposed to increase right now since chicks which were bought at increased prices about 30 to 35 days earlier are supposed to hit the market about three weeks later from now.
He added that some traders increased the price of the Sonali variety as price of broiler has increased.
Abu Hanif, a chicken trader at Karwan Bazar, said demand for local variety remains low around the year due to high price, but an increased demand ahead of Eid caused the price hike this time.