Chicken up for sale at a market in Bhubaneswar. Picture by Ashwinee Patibibhuti Barik

Bhubaneswar, June 22: After vegetables, it’s the turn of chicken and mutton in the city to skyrocket.

Chicken, which was being sold at Rs 140 a kilo a week ago, has reached Rs 180 and mutton, which was selling at Rs 400 a kilo, has now climbed to Rs 440.

Sabyasachi Das, a resident of Lingaraj Vihar at Pokhariput, said: “Today’s market rate for chicken and mutton at the Sundarpada market was a real shocker. Meat sellers were charging Rs 440 a kilo. Marriage season pushes up price marginally, but such a stiff hike hurts us.’’

“Prices of vegetables have already gone up after a hike in petrol and diesel. Now, railway fares have been increased and it will add to the rising prices. Prices of vegetables, potato and onion are going up daily,” he said.

Sajid Khan, who sells chicken at Pokhariput, said: “The suppliers have started minimising their supply and we are depending on hatcheries in and around the city, mostly those in Khurda and Puri district. Once the demand-supply gap narrows down, the rate will fall.’’

Kalu Khan, a mutton seller at Unit IV Market, said: “The mutton price has increased due to short supply of animals from the traditional supply areas. We mainly get mutton from Jashipur in Mayurbhanj, Nayagarh, Daspallah, Kandhamal and nearby Khurda, but the sudden change in weather conditions has hit the supply line, hence the rate has increased.’’

While some meat sellers claim that the shortage in supply of mutton has led to the sudden rise in price, a leader of the butchers’ organisation Sheikh Sarjan Qureshi says that those selling the product for more than Rs 420 a kilo is charging “extra”.

Qureshi said those who claimed that higher price meant better quality were actually duping and exploiting the buyers.

He said that people should not pay more than the current market rate.

On an average day, the city consumes 1.25 quintal of mutton. It goes up to 3 to 3.5 quintal on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. Similarly for chicken, the consumption level varies between 1.5 and 4 quintals.

Fish merchant Seikh Mustafa, however, said: “Rohu is still being sold between Rs 120 and Rs 140 depending on its size.’’

The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation’s mega plan to have multiple slaughterhouses in the city and modern meat and fish shops at Unit IV might help in regulating the price in future. With most shops coming under one roof, the variation in price will be less likely to happen.

“The slaughter house plan for Gadakana has been sent for administrative approval and the proposal for a mega facility project at Rudrapur is before the state government for consideration. For providing modern facilities at Unit IV fish and meat market a centrally-assisted programme will be implemented by the civic body,’’ said municipal corporation’s executive engineer R.N. Mallick.