Fresh chicken shortage adds to consumer woes
Originally published in Gulf Times on January 20, 2008
SHOPS in Qatar have been hit by a severe shortage of fresh chicken as the domestic production from the lone farm has not been able to meet the rising demand following a ban on poultry products from Saudi Arabia, it is found.
A supervisor at a leading supermarket told Gulf Times that the local farm could supply only 50 chickens against their order for 300 yesterday.
Meanwhile, the local market is also facing a shortage of flour, sources said. Adding to the consumers’ woes, cooking oil has had another price revision a fortnight ago.
The short supply has caused chicken prices to shoot up; 800gm of fresh chicken is being sold for QR13, 900gm for QR14, and 1kg for QR15/16. Until recently, the price was QR 11 for a kilo.
Another major supermarket that used to receive some 500 pieces of chicken a day is now supplied only half of the earlier quantity. “The stock of fresh chicken runs out very quickly,” a spokesman for the shop said.
Only the outlets of the Al Meera chain of co-operative store seemed to have enough supplies of fresh chicken. Al Meera was yesterday selling a package containing two 650gm of fresh chicken for QR18.
“The same pack used to be QR15.75 a month ago, but at least we have sufficient stock to offer to our customers,” said a supervisor at the Al Meera store in the Muntazah area.
Meanwhile, the increase in the demand for wheat and flour in producing countries has caused shortage of flour in Qatar. Stocks supplied by Qatar Flour Mills (QFM) keep vanishing off the racks as soon as they are stacked.
The shortage of popular imported brands of flour, such as Pillsbury and Hayat Atta, are being attributed to the growing demand in the source country, India, forcing Delhi to discourage exports.
The price of cooking oil of all varieties, be it sunflower, corn or olive, has increased as well.
Four litres of Noor sunflower oil is now priced at QR32.25, while Corolli sunflower of the same quantity is sold for QR35.
A can of two litres of Alfa and Afia corn oil now costs QR18 and QR17.50 respectively.
“What is now priced at QR33 used to be QR22 in July last year. The 50% increase in five months is apparent but the reasons behind are not,” said an official of a major retail store.
As Published
