Poultry prices up on export demand

Poultry prices have risen up to seven per cent within a week across the country due to an increase in the export of eggs and high feed prices.

Broiler wholesale rates On Thursday stood at Rs 62 a kg (undressed chicken) in Delhi, Rs 56 a kg in Lucknow, Rs 46 a kg in Pune, Rs 47 a kg in Hyderabad, Rs 52 a kg in Madras and Rs 63 a kg in Kolkata.

Similarly, egg rates were Rs 2.34 per piece in Delhi, Rs 2.25 in Bangalore, Rs 2.08 in Hyderabad and Rs 2.16 in Namakkal.

"The export of eggs has started again from South India to the Middle East and South Africa. Egg traders from South India are exporting 10-12 containers (1 container containing 5,00,000 eggs) per day," Poultry Federation of India (PFI) Treasurer Ricky Thaper said.

Retail prices in the national capital for broiler stood at Rs 120-140 a kg, while eggs were being sold at Rs 3 a piece. Due to rise in feed prices the rates of broilers and eggs have gone up, Thaper said, adding that the PFI has made presentations to the Government to ban the export of corn and soybean meal to support the poultry industry.Traders said the government's effective measures in controlling bird flu also helped in boosting exports, Thaper said.