January 11, 2005
Chicken, Mutton Favored Over Seafood In India
Chicken and mutton sellers have benefited from consumers' fears of seafood contamination in India.
Loads of fish remained unsold even though they were offered at rock bottom prices, but prices of mutton and chicken have risen sharply due to increased demand.
According to Mohideen, who runs a mutton shop at Zameen Pallavaram, "During weekends I sell around 60-70 kg of chicken and mutton. However after tsunami, fear gripped people that seafood is not fit for consumption and they turned to chicken and mutton. Though there is a huge demand, the supply has not increased. This has resulted in the hike in meat prices."
There is an increase of Rs 15 to Rs 20 per kg of chicken while for mutton, the rate per kg has increased from Rs 160 to Rs 175, he added.
Mariamma, a fishmonger at Chintadripet, said, "I hardly find a customer. Even though the price of seafood has come down drastically, people are not ready to buy it."
An office-bearer of Chennai Motorboat Fishermen Association said, Before the tsunami, around 40,000 kg of seafood used to reach Chennai market from various parts of the country. After December 26, the supply fell to a mere 10,000 kg and prices too dropped.
They are forced to convert the fish varieties into dry fish and try selling them, he said.
The crowded fish markets in places like Chintaderipet, Periyamedu and Padalam wear a deserted look these days.
Said Selvanayaki, a resident of Triplicane, "We have now substituted seafood with chicken. We don't mind spending a little more, since it's a factor involving health."
However, Peter, selling fish near Pazhavanthangal railway station, is brimming with hope.
"When avian flu struck poultry in parts of Asia last year, the demand and price of chicken went down. It meant an increase in sale of fish then. However that lean patch was soon overcome. The same is the case with seafood. The market will stabilize and the demand will slowly pick up with the passage of time", he said.
