After declining for few weeks, the broiler prices are again on rise due to steady demand because of festive season, reports Financial Express of India. Traders and analysts said chicken prices are expected to rise further during next few weeks because of steady demand in winters.

Poultry industry sources said that the wholesale price of live weight broiler in Delhi region has increased from 48 rupees INR) per kilo prevailing a month back to INR65 at present. Correspondingly, the retail price of dressed chicken has gone up from INR120 a kilo to INR140 currently.

As previously reported by the paper, broiler prices declined last month because of floods in many parts of rural Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and other northern states, which forced the poultry farmers to release excess stocks into the market.

"We anticipate rise in poultry prices further during next few weeks," Ricky Thaper, treasurer, Poultry Federation of India (PFI), told the paper at that time.

Meanwhile, due to sudden increase in exports of soybean meal, a key ingredient in the poultry feed, its wholesale price has gone up to INR17,000 per tonne on 23 October from INR16,100 per tonne in September. At the same time, corn price has remained stable at INR11,000 per tonne during last few months because of expectations of a bumper harvest.

Due to rise in soybean meal, the feed price has increased to INR18,000 per tonne against INR17,000 a tonne in September, according to Financial Express.

According to the Solvent Extractors' Association (SEA), the country's oilmeal exports rose by 53 per cent in September on improved availability for crushing and a rise in the free-on-board realisation. SEA data shows that total exports surged to 354,000 tonnes compared with 231,000 tonnes in the corresponding month of the previous year.

Of the total oilseed meal exports, soybean meal exports were to the tune of more than 290,000 tonne while rest comprised of rapeseed meal and groundnut meal. The country had exported 231,000 tonnes of oilseed meals September 2009.

"From last two months due to expectation of a better oilseed output, farmers have been releasing their stocks for processing," B.V. Mehta, executive director of the SEA, said.

Meanwhile, the wholesale egg prices continued to remain flat during last few week because of less consumption during last few weeks.

The egg consumption in Tamil Nadu and other States such as Maharashtra, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh has started to pick up slowly with the austere festivities coming to an end. However, again during Diwali, the rise in consumption may take a beating, fear poultry industry sources. In Delhi, the retail prices have remained stable at INR40 a dozen for the last few months.

"Consumption of poultry meat will increase in the coming winter months as poultry meat is preferred and production is also lowest for chicken," said Mr Thaper.

According to Financial Express, India is world's fifth largest broiler producer with an estimated production of 2.3 million tonnes of broiler meat per year. However, there is a huge scope for the growth of poultry industry in India as per-capita consumption is only 2.4kg per annum, well below the world average.