Amid coronavirus scare, chicken sales crash in Hyderabad

Hyderabad: The poultry industry in Hyderabad is facing losses amid rumours that chicken is infected with coronavirus and the disease is being transmitted to humans.

The prices of chicken have dropped as people are desisting from consuming meat amid the scare of the deadly virus.

Shaikh Munawar, a chicken retailer in Hyderabad told ANI that the retailers are now selling 2.5 kgs of chicken for just Rs 100 due to the rumours.

“After COVID-19 positive case was reported in Hyderabad, chicken sales got completely reduced and the farm rates also decreased to Rs 15 per kilogram. Earlier, we were selling 1 kg of chicken at Rs 100,” he said.

“Customers are not consuming chicken due to rumours that coronavirus can be spread through the chicken. The public can eat chicken as the virus is not at all related to chicken,” he added.

Animal Husbandry Commissioner Praveen Malik said in a letter to the Poultry Federation of India last week that poultry is not found to be involved in the transmission of coronavirus to humans. “Poultry has not been found to be involved in the transmission of COVID-19 to humans so far in any report globally,” he said.