Hyderabad: Rising prices of chicken have put restaurant owners in a fix. The biggest choice they have to make is generate revenue or retain customers.
After the chicken prices were increased rapidly in the State by the poultry farmers due to various reasons, the hotel owners are now facing numerous problems.
A kilogram of chicken in the market is around Rs. 250 while till a few months ago it was between Rs. 160 and Rs. 200 a kilogram. The increase in the price in the last one month is costing them their profits.
Generally, the price increases during summer by Rs. 20 to Rs. 30 a kilogram. “We understand that the summer mortality rate of birds is high and we are used to the small increase in price. But this price almost doubled,” said Saif uddin, owner of a restaurant at Falaknuma.
Hotels usually decide the menu price keeping in view the prevailing market prices of different ingredients that go into making any particular dish. For instance, a plate of chicken biryani is priced around Rs. 180 a plate in almost all hotels. “
At least 200 grams of chicken is to be put in a plate otherwise customers will not accept it. At the current price of chicken it is becoming difficult for us,” said Imran, who works as a manager at a restaurant in Asifnagar.
“We cannot let the customer’s walkaway; it will damage our reputation in the market and result in big long term loss. Somehow, we are forgoing profits yet continuing with preparing chicken biryani and curries,” said another restaurant owner at Mehdipatnam.
The biggest burden for the restaurant is people instead of buying meat and preparing curries at home are flooding their establishments. “They consider it cheaper. But their tactic is costing a bomb to us,” said Mohd Irfan, who runs at hotel at Shahalibanda.
Poultry farmers say the hike in poultry prices is due to huge losses suffered during the lockdown in the last two years. The prices of poultry fee increased drastically and so did the diesel prices.
“It we cut down the price, we would suffer losses. Already we suffered a lot during the Covid,” said a poultry farmer.
