Representative image showing mutton curry.
Credit: iStock Photo
Bengaluru: Per-kilo prices of mutton and chicken are set to rise due to the upcoming festivities next week.
Chicken prices may increase by Rs 10 to Rs 15 from current market rates, while mutton prices could surge by nearly Rs 50.
Currently, skinless chicken is selling for Rs 200 to Rs 220 per kilo, while mutton has been priced between Rs 800 and Rs 850 per kilo over the past week.
With Ugadi on March 30 and Eid expected on March 31 or April 1, mutton sales are likely to rise, meat vendors said.
Shahbaz, a vendor from Cox Town market, said that mutton prices are set to reach Rs 900 per kilo this week. He added that bird flu cases reported last month significantly impacted chicken sales in Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, leading many consumers to switch to mutton.
"Mutton prices in central Bengaluru are already between Rs 800 and Rs 850 per kilo. In areas like Electronics City, Bellandur, and Marathahalli, prices have already touched Rs 900. Vendors from Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh buy sheep from Karnataka, take them back to their states, and sell the meat for Rs 1,000 per kilo, making a good profit,” Shahbaz said.
A vendor from a popular meat wholesaler also attributed a 10% decline in chicken sales to bird flu concerns.
Meanwhile, a vendor in Russell Market noted, “I follow the price of chicken listed in the paper and don’t change it based on festivals. If the standard price changes, I follow that.”
The price hike is expected to last only for the week, with rates returning to normal the week after, according to meat vendors at Cox Town, Johnson Market, and Russell Market.