Producers deny chicken price hike

Nutrimix Feeds Ltd and the Arawak Supermix Group yesterday denied newspaper reports of an increase in chicken prices. The report stated that chicken prices had jumped from $3.75 to $4.50 at pluck shops, and from $8.25 to $9 at supermarkets. In a release yesterday, however, Nutrimix emphasised that for the period December 1 to December 23, 2004, all live chickens had been sold for a maximum of $3.50 to $4.10 per pound, and an overall average of $3.78 per pound. The company added that for the month of December, whole chickens were being sold between $5.25 to $6.25 per pound, or an overall average of $5.45 per pound.

“We also wish to advise that over the last three months our prices have remained within this range and emphasise that our company has no control over the prices at which pluck shops and supermarkets sell these chickens,” Nutrimix said. The company also pointed out that it did not use or import table eggs, and called on the “relevant ministry” to investigate those who did. Meanwhile, the Arawak Supermix Group stated that it had not increased the prices of any of its chicken products in either the live or processed markets. “We are therefore disappointed that, once again, we were not consulted when misinformation on the local poultry industry is presented as fact,” Arawak said.