Prices of homegrown chickens in Taiwan have dropped from its peak a month ago amid the current economic slowdown.

Native chicken prices have dropped to NT$53 per kg from NT$80 per kg in September, according to the Poultry Association of the Republic of China.

Ho Yu-chen, an association executive responsible for the sale of native chickens, said that normal sales level during the summer break was between 1.8-2 million chickens.

Sales were expected to increase to 2-2.2 million whole chickens per week during the cooler autumn season, but the result fell short of target this year, Ho said.

Ho said it is because domestic poultry farmers had an excess inventory of 400,000-500,000 units during the Mid-Autumn Festival, when chicken demand would increase sharply.

Ho said the association has therefore organised a series of promotional activities in Taiwan to boost sales of homegrown chickens.