Poultry demand drops 40% post-Ramadan, eid

AMMAN — Demand for chicken and eggs decreased by about 40 per cent in the local market when compared to the month of Ramadan and the Eid Al Fitr holiday, according to Abdul Shakour Jamjoum, president of the Jordanian Poultry Producers Union.

In a statement, Jamjoum stressed that weak consumer purchasing power and the spending of available liquidity on eid obligations greatly affected the demand for chicken as well as eggs.

The weak demand after Ramadan contributed to an increase in the supply of poultry meat in groceries, commercial malls and various other points of sale, he added.

Jamjoum pointed to the slight decrease in the price of chicken, which ranged between 1.55 to 1.60 piasters, when compared to an average of JD2 during Ramadan and the eid holiday. 


The high demand for shawarma and broasted chicken during Eid Al Fitr greatly contributed to the improvement in the demand for chicken during that period, Jamjoum said, noting that the demand for chicken returned to pre-Ramadan levels as a result of weak liquidity and consumer desire to replace chicken and red meat with popular meat-free dishes. 

Jamjoum attributed the confusion that affected the poultry sector during the month of Ramadan to a shortage in quantities and an increase in prices due to the large volume of consumption, which exceeded expectations, unlike in previous years.


Jamjoum estimated that daily consumption during the holy month reached 800,000 chickens, an increase of 200,000 compared to typical consumption, which measures about 600,000 chickens.
According to Jamjoum, there are 2,000 chicken farms in the Kingdom, including eight large projects for breeding, 300 for laying hens and 100 for poultry farming.

Faisal Mahmoud, a poultry shop employee, said that the demand for chicken has been very low recently, and noted that it began to decline immediately after the end of Ramadan. 

Quantities greatly increased in stores, but the demand decreased, he said.