Poultry traders burn their 'stir fry,' government chicken rates to prevail

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Kozhikode: Delectable chicken dishes are ready to fly back to Kerala after poultry traders submitted to the state government’s order to sell poultry at Rs.87 per kg. Finance minister T.M. Thomas Isaac said chicken would be available at the rate fixed by the government.

The minister talked to trade bodies including the All-Kerala Chicken Dealers’ Association and Chicken Merchants’ Association after a section of traders stayed out of business to exert pressure on the government to go back on its decision to put a cap on chicken prices.

Chicken prices had shot up in Kerala despite a tax exemption in the just-implemented Goods and Services Tax. The state government insisted that chicken prices should come down to Rs.87 from Rs.103 a kg with the removal of 14.5 percent value-added tax.

Isaac even called upon the people to resist the profiteering by chicken vendors. Hoteliers had earlier offered to cut down prices if they were assured of chicken supply at cheaper rates.

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