KOLKATA: The price of the highprotein diet that doctors recommend to help you fight against the novel coronavirus is finally stabilising in Kolkata.

The cost of

has reduced, chicken price has stopped fluctuating wildly, the price of mutton has come down from this Holi’s Rs 700-plus stratospheric levels and the movement of fish-laden trucks has resumed from Andhra Pradesh, giving the non-vegetarian many more options to stock up on some much-needed protein.

Chicken and egg prices had first crashed because of baseless rumours that their consumption was linked to the spread of nCoV; the prices then spiked sharply as supply fell to near-zero. Mutton prices breached the Rs-700 mark — around Holi — as its demand soared (as people went off poultry). And, of late, fish prices have soared because of lack of supply from Andhra Pradesh, one of the biggest suppliers to fish-loving Bengal. All this led to a disruption in the supply-chain dynamics over the past few weeks.

But, with the Bengal government taking the lead to talk to Andhra Pradesh and Odisha officials to regularise truck movement, supplies have resumed. Nearly 90% of the eggs that Bengal consumes come from Andhra and Telangana and egg lovers have been the first to benefit; its price has plunged to between Rs 3.80 and Rs 5.50 apiece in different markets.

Traders look at recovering losses

Egg price can stabilize at Rs 4 each if supplies remain regular,” a trader said. “Also, the fact that roll counters have downed shutters means supply has outstripped demand,” he added.

The price of a kilogram of dressed chicken, too, has stabilized around the Rs 170-Rs 200 mark. It had swung wildly from Rs 120 a kg because of the chicken-nCoV rumours to Rs 250 a kg. West Bengal Poultry Federation general secretary Madan Mohan Maity hoped people would continue to buy chicken to preempt fluctuation in demand. “There was a major disruption in poultry economics that affected small and unorganized players. We hope to recover some of our losses,” he said.

Mutton prices have followed that of chicken to stabilize at Rs 630-Rs 660 a kg. “The supply of goat and sheep from Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh has improved. This has led to cooling of mutton prices in Kolkata,” said Moinuddin Haji of Kidderpore Meat.

The price of several varieties of fish, too, has dipped by Rs 50 a kg as trucks with stock from Andhra Pradesh have started arriving in the city. “Prices can dip further if supply remains steady,” said Howrah Fish Vendors’ Association general secretary Syed Anwar Maqsood.