Pork, poultry prices stay steady despite Lunar New Year demand
Pork, poultry prices stay steady despite Lunar New Year demand
The price of food products such as pork and poultry in Vientiane markets have remained unusually steady despite a spike in demand brought about by Chinese and Vietnamese New Year celebrations.
The supply of these products is still sufficient to keep up with demand in the market, according to market authorities.
The price of pork is 35,000-36,000 kip per kg of grade A.
Regular farm chicken costs 25,000-30,000 kip per kg, while the price of chicken raised locally in Laos is still high at 40,000 kip per kg.
These prices may be between 1,000 and 2,000 kip per kg higher in some markets, according to Mr Sipaseuth Viphavanh, the Vientiane Industry and Commerce Department official who tracks the prices of goods.
Ms Keuang, a Vietnamese national living in Vientiane, told Vientiane Times she sold pork in Dongdok market for a higher price on the first day of this week than she did yesterday.
She was surprised the cost of pork fell from 38,000 kip per kg before the ce lebrations to 35,000 kip per kg yesterday.
She said she believes the price returned to its usual level quickly as a result of meat vendors competing for the high number of customers.
But the vendors still made good profits from meat sales as the cost of purchasing pork from the slaughterhouse also remained stable.
To control the often high prices during the Lunar New Year celebrations, industry and commerce authorities have encouraged district officials to follow trading closely and ensure consumers are not disadvantaged.
Authorities still believe many vendors in Vientiane markets are taking advantage of consumers to make extra profit.
The department recently proclaimed vendors should not take undue advantage of important events to excessively raise the price of their goods at a time when prices are already quite high.
Vendors should not sell their pork higher than 35,000-37,000 kip per kg, which is the price set by department authorities.
But vendors can sell chicken and duck at any price because the department does not yet regulate the price of poultry.
vientiane times
