Consumer Protection Society decries removal of price ceiling on chicken

AMMAN — The Consumer Protection Society (CPS) on Wednesday said that the removal of price ceiling on chicken would result in the situation getting out of control. 

“What is the basis of the Trade Ministry’s decision to cancel the price ceiling on chicken, which is considered a basic necessity, and how come all of a sudden Jordan, which has been self-sufficient in poultry for almost 20 years, is to import frozen chicken,” asked CPS President Mohammad Obeidat in his remarks to The Jordan Times.

Obeidat also urged the public to boycott chicken until prices stabilise, noting that the cancellation of the ministry’s previous decision regarding setting price control on chicken has “clearly” contributed to rising prices of chicken in Jordan.

The prices of chicken in Amman have increased between 20 and 30 per cent, while the price increase in the Kingdom’s governorates is between 10 and 15 per cent, the CPS president said. 

The Ministry of Industry, Trade and Supply on Tuesday explained that the cancellation of the price ceiling on chicken it previously introduced is part of the ministry’s regular procedures in which price ceiling on any commodity is removed in case “the goal of stabilising prices or lowering them in the local market is achieved”.

In a statement made available to The Jordan Times, the ministry said that “through daily monitoring of chicken prices, the ministry has ensured price stability”.

“After the Trade Ministry removed its price ceiling on chicken, the prices immediately went up,” Ahmad Al Khatib, owner of a shop selling poultry said, adding that the retail price of one kilogramme of fresh chicken was set at JD2, but the price now is between JD2.25 and JD2.5.

“Poultry farmers are the ones most impacted. They have high costs and sell chicken for way less,” Khatib said. Only five companies are controlling the chicken industry in the Kingdom, he said.

“Ninety per cent of chicken farmers in Jordan are in debt,” Khatib said. He pointed out that importing frozen chicken to the Kingdom would negatively impact local sector operators.

The Jordan Times contacted Trade Ministry’s Spokesperson Yanal Barmawi but he was not available for comment.