Poultry producers agree to reduce price of chicken by Rs. 100 per kilo

By Chaturanga Pradeep Samarawickrama  

The local poultry producers agreed to reduce the local selling price of one kilogramme of chicken by Rs. 100.  

The decision was announced following a discussion held at the Agriculture Ministry last morning with the aim of protecting the local poultry production industry and providing an opportunity for consumers to buy chicken at a minimum price.  

“If chicken is imported, the local industry may collapse completely. So the responsibility of protecting this industry was discussed at length at the Cabinet meeting on July 31. The President instructed the Agriculture Department to discuss the price of chicken with the industrialists.  

“The producers said the increase in the price of chicken in the market is due to the import tax of Rs. 75 imposed on imported maize, and that the tax should be reduced to Rs. 25. 
“However, these businessmen pointed out that the prices of chicken can be further reduced next year.