People concerned about drastic increase in chicken prices

People have expressed serious concerns about some supermarkets blatantly increasing the price of certain food items like Crest chicken.

Calls are being made to the government to ensure that bodies like the Fijian Competition and Consumer Commission takes urgent steps to address this recurring issue of unscrupulous traders and unconscionable conduct.

A well-known supermarket in Suva is selling number 27 Crest Chicken for $31.95, number 25 for $27.35, number 21 for $23.95, number 17 for $19.99 and number 22 for $24.50.

The increases in the last 2 to 3 weeks has been between $4 to $8, and this includes weekend prices.

People are also questioning how the prices of local chicken are only stabilised when inspections are conducted by the Consumer Council of Fiji and Fijian Competition and Consumer Commission or just weeks before or after National Budget week.

We have sent questions to the FCCC and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, Professor Biman Prasad.

Professor Prasad had earlier said that when the government provides support to protect the poultry industry they must also take some responsibility to ensure that the prices they charge to the consumers are reflective, reasonable and makes sense.

He said if the poultry industry does not pass on the incentives it receives, then the government will have no other option but to ensure that they do so.

Professor Prasad adds the government gives the poultry industry a 42 percent duty protection and expects them to behave ethically in a way they are able to translate that protection into better quality and priced products because they are also restricting the import of frozen chickens.

More assessments on food items are underway and we are also awaiting the result of the FCCC market inquiry into the grocery sector.