SEREMBAN: In many households, chicken dishes have yet to disappear from their dining tables even though the price of whole chickens is now based on market forces.
Mechanic G. Suresh, who was seen at one of the stalls here, said he kept up with the practice of buying three birds a week for his family’s consumption.
“We have meat thrice and sometimes four times a week, so I still buy the same quantity,” said Suresh, 47.
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“There is no other option because fish and wild boar, which we regularly eat, is even more expensive,” he said.
For now, he said chicken was still affordable.
Another buyer, who only wished to be identified as Tajuddin, said he still bought the same amount of chicken every week.
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“Almost everything has gone up in price now. I think the chicken cost is reasonable, but it should not go up any further,” he added.
In JOHOR BARU, housewife Tan Lee Peng said she prefers buying chicken at wet markets although it is slightly more expensive compared with those sold at hypermarkets, which were available for below RM8 per kg.
“I am currently paying RM11 for a kilo of chicken at the wet market, which I find to be fresher.
“Despite it costing more than the previous ceiling price, I am still buying the same amount as my family enjoys eating chicken.
“Other meat and seafood are quite expensive these days,” she said.
Lee, 48, said two birds could last her household a week.
However, if the price continues to rise beyond RM12 in the next few weeks, especially during the year-end festive season, she might consider cutting down to just one bird a week, she said.
Petrol pump attendant S. Geetha said she was not affected by the price of poultry as chicken is not the protein of her choice.
“My family only consumes chicken once a week at most as we prefer eating more vegetables and eggs.”
But even if she doesn’t buy chicken often, she said she was already spending more than RM100 on groceries each week.
“That’s because the cost of most items has been going up. To save money, I have switched to buying 1kg packets of cooking oil,” said Geetha, 27.
As for Nur Aishah, a housewife in Kuala Lumpur, she frequently shops at supermarkets for chicken purchases.
On some occasions, she opts for a whole chicken, while at other times, she chooses chicken wings or drumsticks.
“I spend about RM80 to RM100 monthly on chicken purchases, considering my two chicken-loving kids,” said Nur Aishah, 35.
Despite the diverse chicken selection in the market, including organic ones, Nur Aishah said she always picked regular chicken due to the comparatively higher cost of organic alternatives.
“Organic chicken can be quite pricey, occasionally exceeding RM30 for a single bird,” she said.
For now, she said she was relieved that chicken prices in Malaysia remained reasonable.
