Vijayawada: The bird flu outbreak has dealt a severe blow to the chicken-based food businesses across Andhra Pradesh. Many eateries were forced to shut down due to plummeting sales. Generally, a staple during celebrations and a favourite evening snack, dishes like chicken pakoda, fry and chilli chicken are now being avoided by consumers due to widespread fear.
Thousands of chicken snack stalls, that thrived in major cities, have witnessed a drastic fall in business. In Vijayawada alone, around 192 shops selling chicken pakoda, have closed. To minimise losses, some shopkeepers have permanently closed their stalls and others, are offering heavy discounts to attract customers.
Amid the avian flu scare, people are hesitant to consume chicken as they fear it could transmit the decease among the consumers. Under such circumstances, many chicken-selling shopkeepers have switch to other jobs to recover the losses.
Sk Jani Basha, a vendor from Vijayawada’s Sitarampuram Junction, said he used to sell 30 kg of chicken daily but had to shut down his stall after the sales crashed.
To sustain their businesses, some eateries are slashing prices. Grilled chicken, previously sold for 350, is now available for 200.
“Despite price cuts, sales remain low. If this continues, we may have to close the shops,” said K Raghubabu, an eatery owner in Jawahar Autonagar.
Moreover, popular chicken eateries in Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam, Rajahmundry, Ongole, and Tirupati are in crisis, with many struggling to stay afloat. The situation has not only impacted business owners, but also employees who depend on these eateries for their livelihood. Even with reduced prices and efforts to reassure customers, the fear surrounding bird flu continues to keep people away from chicken serving shops in the region.
