Hyderabad: Chicken retailers staged a protest on Wednesday at Indira Park, raising concerns over shrinking profit margins and rising operational costs. Over 200 traders gathered to voice their demands, urging authorities and suppliers to revise commissions to sustain their businesses.Retailers said that the margins they currently receive remain unchanged from what they earned 10 to 15 years ago, despite a sharp increase in expenses. “Our earnings have remained stagnant for over a decade, but costs have gone up significantly. It is becoming difficult to run shops under these conditions,” said Mohd Ghouse, a retailer from Old City.The primary demand of the retailers is to increase the commission from Rs 26 to Rs 40 per kg. They pointed out that labour charges, electricity bills and other operational expenses have risen considerably in recent years. “We are not asking for anything unreasonable. The current commission does not cover even our basic expenses,” added Kumar Tharigoppulu, a retailer participating in the protest.The protest led to a partial shutdown across the city, with around 20% to 30% of chicken shops remaining closed. However, the overall impact on consumers and the hospitality sector was limited. Many retailers kept their shops open, while restaurateurs had stocked up on chicken in anticipation of the protest.Restaurant owners said they did not face major disruptions. “We were aware of the protest in advance and made necessary arrangements. Supplies have not been significantly affected so far,” said a restaurant operator.Customers, too, reported minimal inconvenience. “Most shops in our area were open, so we didn’t face much difficulty buying chicken,” said Lavanya K, a homemaker from Attapur.Traders indicated that they would continue to press for their demands if no action is taken. “If the issue is not addressed, we may be forced to intensify our protest in the coming days,” added Kumar.
