Jordanians boycott poultry, eggs after government chickens out on price controls
Jordanians boycott poultry, eggs after government chickens out on price controls
The Arabic-language hashtag #Chicken_Boycott has been trending on social media in recent days and Jordan's National Society for Consumer Protection has urged citizens to join a boycott.
2 min read
Jordanians are boycotting chicken and eggs after the government recently rescinded prices it had set [Cavan Images/Getty-file photo]
AÌýboycott ofÌýÌýand eggsÌýhas been launched in Ìýamid calls on the government by campaigners to cap risingÌýprices.
A watchdogÌýaccusedÌý government of favouring farmers and traders over consumers after it removed a cap on pricesÌýearlier this month, citing a rise in theÌýcost of chicken feed.
The National Society for Consumer Protection (NSCP) urged citizens to join in the boycott and the Arabic-language hashtag #Chicken_Boycott has been trending on social media in recent days, °®Âþµº's Arabic sister siteÌýAl-Araby Al-JadeedÌýreported on Friday.
NSCPÌýchiefÌýMohammed Obeidat said large farm owners and tradersÌý"want to cancel the current price ceilings or set ceilings higher than they are".
The consumer rights group also called on shops to join the boycott.
AÌýgovernment price ceiling set in March had capped the price at betweenÌý1.65 and 2 dinars ($2.33–2.82) per kilogram.ÌýChicken meat now costsÌýaround $3.50 per kilogram.
The NSCP said producers reacted to the price cap by reducing the supply of eggs and poultry to the market,Ìýto force the government to U-turn on the prices it had set.
But industry ministry official Emad Al-Bazour said there would be an intervention if there are confirmedÌýunjustified price rises.
The ministry looks to avoid such price hikes while also considering rising production costs, he added.
Egypt's urban inflation increased to 10.5 percent in March as residents struggle with the cost of living
— °®Âþµº (@The_NewArab)
Jordan's domestic chicken consumption is estimated at about 700,000 chickens per day, whileÌýproducersÌýcan cover 130 percent of this, meaning there is a surplus, according to government officials.
Agriculture ministry spokesperson Lawrence Al-Majali said Ìýproduces enough domesticallyÌýand that the door is open to imports.
It comes asÌýthe kingdom importedÌýan estimated 85 percent of overall food from overseas due to local production shortages, according to figures from a local industry union.
The Jordanian government has taken several measures to deal with price increases, including reducing inspection costs for imported goods by 30 percent.
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