India's poultry production has dropped as summer has set in, causing prices to rise as farmers face challenges such as low bird weights and high feed prices, according to reports.
Chickens' food intake falls significantly in the summer, causing weight reductions of between 30 percent and 50 percent, said B. Rama Rao, member of the National Egg Coordination Committee. This causes their survival rate to drop by 20 percent to 30 percent. "Both factors bring down production rapidly, and this results in a rate hike," said Rao. The rate of a dressed chicken has risen to Rs 194 (US$3.46) per kilogram. In April, it was in the range of Rs 130–150 (US$2.32–$2.68) per kilogram.
An increase in soya prices for chicken feed has also contributed to the decrease in production. "The feed rate has grown to Rs 2,700 (US$48.16) a quintal from Rs 1,700 (US$30.33) during the past four months," said Rao.
