Kalpetta: Chicken prices have climbed sharply across parts of Kerala, with retail rates now hovering between ₹250 and ₹260 per kilogram. Poultry farmers and traders attribute the latest spike primarily to a steep increase in poultry feed costs.

Farmers say the price of a 50-kg bag of chicken feed has jumped by nearly ₹500 within a month, taking the current rate to around ₹2,500 per bag. Rising fuel costs, supply constraints affecting key feed ingredients such as soybean, maize and wider disruptions linked to international market conditions have all contributed to the increase.

Adding to the burden is the sharp rise in chick prices. Farmers who were purchasing chicks for around ₹15 each a few weeks ago are now paying nearly ₹35 each, increasing production costs. With operational costs escalating on multiple fronts, poultry farm owners say raising chicken prices has become unavoidable.

The supply situation has also tightened. A major share of the poultry sold in Kerala is sourced from neighbouring Tamil Nadu, where extreme summer temperatures have reportedly reduced production levels at many farms. Producers who previously reared around 5,000 birds at a time have, in several cases, scaled down operations to 3,000–4,000 birds due to heat-related challenges, affecting overall availability in the market.

Labour shortages are further compounding the problem. Poultry farmers say many migrant workers who returned to their native places during the election period have not come back, leaving farms struggling to maintain operations. Some farm owners warn that continued manpower shortages could force smaller units to suspend production.

The sector is also facing seasonal challenges. With the onset of the monsoon and a slowdown in wedding functions and other celebrations, demand patterns have shifted, creating additional uncertainty for farmers already grappling with rising costs.

Farm operators have also voiced concerns over competition from large poultry networks based in Tamil Nadu, which supply chicks and feed to many farms. Poultry producers in the neighbouring state benefit from government support measures, including subsidised electricity and other facilities, helping them operate at lower costs. Kerala farmers are urging authorities to consider similar support to strengthen the local poultry sector.

Shilju Abraham, a poultry farmer from Mananthavady, said, ‘Due to the high cost of chicken feed and chicks, it is not possible to sustain without increasing the price of chickens sold. Although the chicken farm has been operating for years, this is the first time that the price of chicken feed has been increased so much at once. The feed costs have increased from around ₹1,950 per bag to ₹2,500 in a short period, while each bird requires roughly 3.5 kg of feed to reach market weight.’

With feed, chick and labour expenses all rising simultaneously, poultry farmers say the industry is facing one of its toughest phases in recent years.