A chicken rice seller in Singapore, who switched to using fresh kampung chickens at $20 each after Malaysia implemented an export ban on fresh chickens, is losing about $3000 per month according to Shin Min Daily News.
The hawker, Mr Liu shared that due to his losses he will be closing down his chicken rice and porridge stall at Telok Blangah Market on 27 August.
The 58-year-old hawker spoke to SMDN and said that he had been running his stall for about 8 years and had always been using fresh chickens.
When the ban was first implemented he closed his stall for 2 weeks until he could obtain supplies of chickens, this time being kampung chickens.
However, the cost of using kampung chicken is higher.
Liu said that before the ban, 1 kg of fresh chicken would cost about $5 per kilo, with each chicken weighing about 1..8kgg to 2kg, and the cost price wouldn’t go above $12.
However, for kampung chickens, it costs about $20 each for a chicken that weighs about 1.4kg to 1.8kg.
He had to increase the price of his chicken rice from $3.50 to $4, while a whole chicken would sell for $32 instead of $28.
He shared that since the export ban by Malaysia, his business has fallen about 40%, that he used to be able to sell about 20 chickens a day, but now he sells about 10 chickens a day.
Added on top of his operating costs, Liu shared that he makes about $3000 in losses every month.
For now, he will be closing his stall on 27 August, and he hasn’t got a clear idea on what he intends to do next. Although he did add that he might continue his business once there is an adequate supply of fresh chickens.
Images source: Hawkers United – Dabao 2020 Facebook and Unsplash