Chicken gets costlier in Noida, biryani vendors left holding empty pots

The chicken biryani is sold at Rs 160 per kg at all locations, while the raw chicken used for its preparation is now being sold at Rs 200 per kg

The crackdown on illegal meat shops and slaughterhouses in the state seems to have taken away the fragrance of the dish of the Nawabs and the Nizams.

The suppliers in Ghazipur have increased the rates of raw chicken and, due to financial constraints, biryani vendors are able to buy only a limited quantity of meat every day. (Sunil Ghosh/HT Photo)

Biryani sellers in Noida are finding it difficult to carry on with their business as meat suppliers have increased their rates, thereby making it difficult to source meat in large quantities.

“The suppliers in Ghazipur have increased the rates and due to financial constraints, we are able to buy only a limited quantity. We now prepare only a limited quantity of biryani because we have to maintain a certain proportion of rice and meat,” said Naseem Akhtar, who sells biryani opposite Labour Chowk, Sector 58.

Half the customers who visit these biryani joints regularly now leave the shops disappointed. Vendors are expecting a relaxation may come their way meat traders have started an indefinite strike against the closure of illegal butcher shops and slaughterhouses.

The biryani shops in Noida are mostly located in areas such as Labour Chowk, Sector 5, Sector 12 and Sector 61, Harola and Mamura.

The biryani shops in Noida are mostly located in areas such as Labour Chowk, Sector 5, Sector 12 and Sector 61, Harola and Mamura.

Mohammad Shakeel, 51, said he has seen such an implementation for the first time in his 10 years of business. He said prices will rise further since most slaughterhouses in the city have been closed.

The chicken biryani is sold at a price of Rs 160 per kg at all locations, while the raw chicken used for its preparation is now being sold at Rs 200 per kg as against Rs 150 per kg prior to the crackdown on slaughterhouses.

There is a rise of Rs 50 per kg in raw chicken price but the biryani is still being sold at Rs 160 per kg, the traders said.

Until now, since meat was available at cheaper prices, vendors used to sell biryani from morning till evening. Now, after the crackdown, most vendors do business only half the day.

The crackdown was one of the first decisions taken by Yogi Adityanath, who took over as the UP chief minister on March 19, after the BJP swept the state election.

Vendors who used to run biryani kiosks are most affected and many have shut shop.

“We used to get chicken supply from the shops that have been closed now. With raw chicken becoming costlier, we are staring at a closure of shops,” said Din Mohammad, a vendor.