Industry Ministry warns against ‘undue’ chicken price hike

AMMAN — The Ministry of Industry, Trade and Supply through its daily inspections and monitoring of basic foodstuff prices noted an undue price hike of fresh and live chicken.

The ministry on Tuesday set the price of fresh chicken that is sold by chicken producing companies to commercial stores at JD1.75-JD1.80 per kilogramme and at JD1.35 for live chicken, according to a ministry statement.

In the statement, the ministry also said that it will be taking additional measures, including setting a price ceiling on chicken, in case chicken prices unduly rise again.

Commenting on the recent chicken price hike, Waleed Ali, who owns a grocery store in Amman, said that a price ceiling is the best thing the ministry can do to stabilise chicken prices and solve the “continuous and drastic” price hikes on chicken.

“Every now and then some retailers and wholesalers manipulate the prices of chicken and other basic goods, and now is the time to hold them accountable,” Ali said. 

He added that he sells chicken for a reasonable price in order to help people amid the difficult economic circumstances.

Mohammed Hussein, a Jordanian working in a chicken chain store, told The Jordan Times: “Chicken prices are stable at our stores. The price of a whole fresh chicken is JD2.15-JD2.2. The price of a whole frozen chicken is JD2.”

He added that some of his customers told him that there are retailers who sell a whole fresh chicken for more than JD2.65, while supermarkets and hypermarkets sell the chicken at the lowest price.

Um Tareq, a Jordanian shopper, told The Jordan Times that she buys groceries, meat and poultry online to avoid going to the market amid rising COVID cases. 

“Using my mobile application, I can choose whatever I want and get the best deals and discounts,” she added, noting that the prices of whole fresh chicken range between JD2.10 and JD2.35.