Hyderabad: After advice to the people from medical experts to use eggs and chicken to boost their immunity to fight coronavirus, the eggs, and chicken sales witnessed an upsurge across the state.
During the first wave of coronavirus, the poultry industry has incurred about Rs.250 cr losses due to bird flu as people avoided egg and chicken consumption.
However, at the onset of the second wave, the medical experts opined that eggs and chicken are the best sources of protein to increase immunity to fight the coronavirus after which the volume of the eggs and chicken sales increased.
The eggs and chicken sales surged not only in Hyderabad but in districts across the Telangana state.
The Eggs’ sale increased by 20%. According to the National Egg Coordination Committee, the normal volume of eggs’ sale in Hyderabad is 80 lakh eggs which has been increased to one crore during the second wave.
The Medical experts believe that the egg is full with natural nutrients like Vitamin A, Vitamin B-12 and Selenium which increase immunity.
The demand for the eggs lead to increase in its prices which, however, did not dampen its sale.
The poultry industry is expected a turnover of Rs.130 cr during the month of May. The sale last year dipped to 50%.
Telangana produces 4 crore eggs daily out of which 1.75 is sold in the state and the remaining quantity is sent to Maharashtra, AP, W. Bengal and other states where the egg production is low.
Similarly, according to Telangana Poultry Traders Association, the chicken consumption in Telangana is 3 crore kgs which has been increased during the second wave of the pandemic.
The state Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao and IT Minister K T Ramarao encouraged the state’s people to consume eggs and chicken. They had participated in the “Chicken Festival” to dispel peoples’ fears about bird flu.
Meanwhile, the Director of Indian Council of Medical Research R Hemalata said that merely the consumption of eggs is not enough to boost the immunity, “people must also use vegetables and fruits”.