Kozhikode: Chicken retailers who are on a 3-day strike since this morning in Kozhikode district were invited for a discussion to resolve the issue by chicken supply giant VHL poultry farms at Malappuram.
Representatives of Chicken Vyapari Samithi from Kozhikode district committee will attend the meeting scheduled for 4 PM on June 14.
Almost 2,000 chicken retailers shut down shops in the district since morning under the leadership of the Chicken Vyapari Samithi as a protest against the record price hike of chicken by wholesalers and farms.
A statewide strike has been announced by the samithi on June 15 as a warning strike.
"If the VHL company alongside farmers in Kerala and Tamil Nadu associated with the company are ready to lower the price at least after Eid festivities, we will withdraw from the strike," working secretary of the samithi Firose Pokkunnu told Onmanorama.
VHL, a major chicken products wholesaler, supplier, distributor of chicken and eggs in the farms of Kerala and Tamil Nadu, exercises great control over the market.
'We are aware that it may not be practical to lower the price one fine morning, but they must assure us to lower the price after Eid, at the least," Pokkunnu added.
The primary allegation of the samithi is that the price hike is fabricated by chicken farm owners hoarding the product and creating scarcity in the market.
The current price for one kg of chicken meat for the consumer is Rs 260.
The retailers, however, get a whole chicken at Rs 136/kg; it goes up to Rs 150 after transportation and other charges are added.
"This is record pricing; it will affect business as retailers will be blamed for the price hike," said K V Rasheed, state treasurer, Chicken Vyapari Vyavasayi Samithi during a press meet.
If the discussion scheduled for June 14 turns out to be positive and the current district strike is called off, there is a possibility of withdrawing the signal strike as well.
Chicken Vyapari Samithi leaders said the Ekopana Samithi is cooperating with the strike as it is an issue affecting the chicken retailers.
Meantime, Kerala Chicken Vyapari Ekopana Samithi withdrew from the strike claiming it may affect the consumers as there is already a dip in the availability of fish following the trawling ban and onset of monsoon.
