Kerala restaurateurs have threatened to remove chicken dishes in their respective restaurants if the price of poultry meat in the state continues to soar. The price of chicken in Kerala increased by 40% in the past two weeks, according to an association of restaurateurs in the state. In view of the drastic rise in the price of chicken, the Kerala Hotel and Restaurant Association (KHRA), one of the largest hotel and restaurant associations in the state, said that they would be forced to remove chicken dishes from the menu if there is no government intervention in the matter. While suppliers and distributors cited a shortage of chicken, KHRA alleged that a false sense of scarcity is being created to increase the price.
"If the state government does not urgently intervene to stop the rise in prices, we will have to boycott serving chicken dishes," the association said in a statement. According to Kerala Hotel and Restaurant Association (KHRA), the chicken price shot from Rs 90 per kg to Rs 135 in the past two weeks. Meanwhile, in retail outlets in the state, the price per kilo of chicken shot up to Rs 150. KHRA alleged that inter-state lobbies are creating a scarcity of chicken in Kerala, thereby increasing the price.
"Eighty percent of the chicken sold in the state are consumed by hotels. Presently, only parcels are allowed in hotels. It is amid the financial constraints faced by the hotel owners due to this, that there is an unjust hike in price. When everyone is going through difficult times due to COVID-19, we cannot even increase the price of chicken items. If the price is soaring like this, hotels will be forced to boycott chicken items," KHRA said in the statement.
KHRA added that the state government should take measures to stop the price hike and to supply chicken from farms in the state itself. Like many other sectors, the hotel and restaurant sector in the state, too, has been largely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic induced lockdown. Only takeaways are currently allowed in Kerala.