Households buy chickens ahead of Christmas to cut cost

Chicken, either frozen or live, is preferably bought on the eve of, or on Christmas day, which further projects a lively mood for the season.

The celebration of Christmas is incomplete without a palatable meal of chicken and rice. This is a tradition children look forward to on that day.

But, in a bid to cut costs and avoid bearing the cost of traders’ inflation of prices of goods and services during festive seasons, households are now shopping earlier for live chickens, Vanguard gathered.

Mrs. Morenikeji Ayodele, a civil servant, said she bought two big live chickens at N20,000 each, last weekend, ahead of Christmas.

“Last weekend, I thought it wise to buy my Christmas chickens before the D-Day.
“I know that on that day, these chickens I bought for N20,000 each will be sold for, at least, N30,000 to N35,000.

“It’s better to plan ahead for such things because you know how markets in our country operate. They don’t see the festive season at all. That is when they inflate prices of almost everything.
“So the earlier I begin to purchase the needful the better I cut costs.”

Mr. Ogbonna Okosi, a tricycle driver said he bought three chicks since October and has been rearing them for Christmas.

“This method was shown to me by a friend. I gave him the chicks to rear for me and gave him just N3000 for their feeds monthly. I know it’s little but he accepted it because he is raising them alongside his.
“At least I will not be spending thousands of Naira for a live chicken that we used to buy for at least N1,500 then.”

Mr. Felix Shogbamu, a tailor, said he has to pair with his roommate to buy a Chicken for Christmas since both of them have no intentions of traveling for Christmas celebration.

“My roommate and I just purchased a very big chicken yesterday for N15,000.

“A neighbor of mine sells chicken. She advertised the chicken to me and told me to purchase mine quickly because by Christmas Eve the price will double.

“I spoke to my room mate since we were not traveling. We would pay for the chicken and leave it with the woman till Christmas day which the woman earlier suggested.

“He keyed into the idea and we now have our Christmas chicken ready.

“This method has saved us 100 percent of what we would have spent should we have waited till Christmas.”

Vanguard’s visit to most chicken sellers in some markets in Lagos revealed that the prices of chicken ranges between N15,000 to N30,000 depending on the species.

Similarly, the price of a live turkey weighing 14 to 20 kg ranges from N40,000 to N60,000. These prices were over 100 percent increase when compared with the prices they were sold during this period last year and two months ago.

Giving reasons for the increase in the prices of chicken and turkey, Mrs Dorathy Edemode, a poultry farmer , said: “We all know what the prices of chicken feed are doing in the market now.

“The price of a 50 kg bag of chicken feed is now between N25,000 to N37,000 depending on the brand.
“Before, it was sold between N10,000 to N15,000.

“Even the price of treating these chickens has increased.

“Cost of maintenance, cost of transportation among other expenses have also risen.
“These live chickens were sold at N9,000 to N15,000 last year but this year, the prices of a very big chicken may go for N30,000 to N35,000 especially on Christmas Eve.

“These factors are also reflected in the price of eggs.

“A medium size crate of eggs goes for N5,500 to N6,000.

“Nothing is cheap in the market anymore.

“Let me digress a little, look at panla, ponmo, these were food for the poor then. Now the rich consume them.

“These proteins are not for the poor anymore because a large size of ponmo now is N700 to N1,000.
“Four pieces of medium size panla is now N1,000. Something that was sold for as low as N50 then.
“Many people are now buying their chickens ahead and will pick them up when it’s Christmas Eve.
“Some take it home to feed till Christmas.

“Many purchased chicks and are rearing them ahead for Christmas.
“This method will make them dodge the high prices of chicken on Christmas day.”