Bahrain poultry supply running low on panic buying

A nationwide fishermen strike has ignited panic buying of poultry in Bahrain, leading to a supply shortage.

The lack of fish has resulted in shoppers hoarding chicken over fears of a poultry shortage, a Gulf Daily News report said.

That has led to poultry shortage in supermarkets, though Bahrain's largest supplier insists there is sufficient supply.

Delmon Poultry Company is supplying the market with 25 tonnes of chicken per day, but sales supervisor Abdul Hadi said the products were purchased off the shelves as soon as they arrived in stores.

The company will also operate one extra day to cope with increased demand.

People are turning to chicken due to an acute shortage of fish so the company has produced more than usual for the past few days, but the poultry shortage appears to have been created by hoarding, Hadi said.

There are reports that some customers are taking away cartons of chicken when they actually do not need that much, as there are concerns that chicken supplies may be cut like fish, according to Hadi.

Hadi urged supermarkets to implement controls to ensure stocks do not run out prematurely before the fish crisis ends.