Prices of chicks rise by 66pc as scarcity bites
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Farmers and wholesalers attribute the trend to cold weather which is unfavorable for chick growth as well as the government ban on poultry imports.
Dar es Salaam. Prices of chicks have soared due to a severe shortage.
BusinessWeek has established that the wholesale price increased to the average of Sh2,000 since May 3, 2018 from Sh1,200 in January. Farmers and wholesalers attribute the trend to cold weather which is unfavorable for chick growth as well as the government ban on poultry imports.
In June last year, then-Livestock and Fisheries Development deputy minister William ole Nasha imposed an importation ban to protect local breeding companies and facilitate an assessment of the country’s actual demand and supply by local producers. Tanzania Poultry Breeders Association secretary Manase Mrindwa attributes the trend to the rising costs of chicken feeds and treating chickens.
Interchick Company chick dispatcher Juma Mtambo says prices range from Sh1,500 for broilers and Sh2,200 for layers.
“Layers are for laying eggs and their management is costlier than that of broilers which are used for meat,” he said.
According to him, a layer takes up to 18 weeks to start producing eggs while broiler takes fewer days to mature. BusinessWeek has also established that prices of chicken feeds have decreased slightly since last year.
A 50-kilo bag of finisher and starter ranges from Sh48,000 and Sh60,000 depending on the quality of the feeds and its producer.
Jenga Quality Animal Feeds manager Timothy Nkurlu says the prices of chicken feeds decreased from Sh50,000 in August last year to Sh48,000 in February as demand has fallen. Prices of veterinary drugs have remained constant since January this year.
Prices of eggs have decreased.
They survey has established that since May 7 wholesale prices of chickens have decreased to Sh5,500 from Sh7, 000 in April.
Retail prices have decreased from Sh8,000 to Sh6,000. Wholesalers attributed the increase in supply to the huge production of chickens by big companies that target consumers during Ramadhan.
Kisutu Market wholesaler and retailer Abdallah Mohammed expects prices to further drop until the end of Ramadhan.
Chicken seller Timothy Daniel says prices dropped slightly in the last two weeks. The permanent secretary in the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Prof Elisante ole Gabriel, told BusinessWeek: “We encourage the private sector to supply and produce more chicks to balance the pricing equation.”
