Ammon News - The Consumer Protection Society (CPS) has urged the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Supply to set a price ceiling for poultry amid reports of an “excessive increase” in prices, especially those of fresh chicken.

The CPS said that the undue price hike ranged between 40 and 50 per cent this month compared with prices in January.

CPS President Mohammad Obeidat said that “it is understandable” since the cold weather the Kingdom witnessed recently had impacted chicken production negatively with many chicks dying and costs of heating and feeding increasing.

However, Obeidat said that the price increase “is exaggerated and does not truly reflect the true prices especially for fresh chicken”.

He added that one kilogramme of chicken in Amman sold earlier in the range of 115-125 piasters, while now the price is in the range of 175-195 piasters.

Slightly lower prices were recorded in the governorates outside of Amman in the range of 160-175 piasters.

The reluctance of many small farm owners to raise chickens has enabled some traders to establish monopoly in setting higher prices all the while realising that many “households, restaurants, hotels and others do not have alternatives”.

The CPS has urged the public to boycott chicken until prices are stabilised.