Chicken consumption drops

CHICKEN! NO way, is the immediate response of the most of the connoisseurs of non-vegetarian dishes coming to city hotels and restaurants these days. Taking cognizance of the cases of the bird flu in the south-western part of the country, many citizens have restricted themselves from the scrumptious chicken items.

CHICKEN! NO way, is the immediate response of the most of the connoisseurs of non-vegetarian dishes coming to city hotels and restaurants these days. Taking cognizance of the cases of the bird flu in the south-western part of the country, many citizens have restricted themselves from the scrumptious chicken items.

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The news of detection of avian flu in Nandurbar district of Maharashtra has created apprehension among the citizens of Allahabad against consumption of chicken.

A decline in the sale of chicken at the retail shops, restaurants and poultry farms confirms the fear. Be it a roadside eatery or a sophisticated restaurant, all of them have registered a decline in the sales of chicken items.

"The sale of chicken has dropped by around 40 per cent following detection of bird flu in Maharashtra", said Babloo, owner of a poultry farm and a retail shop in the city. "I pray for an immediate curb on the disease. Otherwise, it would ruin our business, which goes high during the Holi season," he added.

Manager of a restaurant of the city, famous for its non-veg preparations, said there was a drop of 40 per cent in regular demand for chicken. "People have very limited options left after the chicken, as chicken is the most favourite item of most of the customers", said the manager.

Though the abrupt decline in demand for chicken has not immediately led to hike in prices of mutton and fish, it is apprehended their prices might shoot up in a few days if the same situation continues.