Reason to go veg: meat, poultry prices soar

CHENNAI:The prices of meat and poultry products continue to soar in the city, with live chicken costing Rs 108 a kg, a single egg priced at Rs 4.80 and mutton topping at Rs 560 a kg. Restaurant owners, including thouse running small eateries, have been hit hard, while the prices continue to burn a hole in the pockets of the common man.
The reason for the hike, some eatery owners allege, is that a mafia is controlling the prices of chicken by creating a shortage when supplies, particularly eggs from Namakkal, are regular.
V J Kantharaj, owner of Mehal Biriyani on New Avadi Road in Kilpauk, said, “There is one vernacular newspaper which decides the prices on a day-to-day basis and the shop keepers go by that, which is unfair. Till three days ago, chicken sold at Rs 250 per kg and on Thursday it was Rs 133 a kg. When the egg supplies from Namakkal are adequate how can the prices go up? This is a racket operating in the city, jacking up prices and making our lives miserable as we cannot raise the prices of food we serve.”
Tomato prices too are rising due to poor supply from Mulbagal in Karnatka where heavy rain damaged the crop. On Thursday tomatoes were retailing at Rs 80 a kg and many chaat vendors have stopped using tomatoes in items like masala puri and bhel puri.