As part of its mandate to ensure fair pricing in the marketplace, the Consumer Affairs Division collects, on a monthly basis, live poultry prices from a sample of poultry depots throughout Trinidad. The prices listed below reflect prices collected over the period January 20-22, 2023.

It is to be noted that the average price per pound (lb) is known as the ‘live weight’ price, which is the price before the chicken has been plucked and gutted. An additional fee is usually charged for plucking and gutting. However, some poultry depots do not offer a separate live weight price and pluck and gut fee. Instead, they offer a single ‘dressed weight’ price which is the price per pound after the chicken has been processed.

Pluck Shop Location Price per lb (Live Weight) Pluck & Gut
Shaun's Poultry and Meats St. James 8.25 15.00
Peter’s Poultry Depot Joyeau Street, Curepe 7.60 15.00
Maddy’s Poultry Depot Southern Main Road, California 6.20 15.00
Indar’s Meat & Poultry Depot 1332 , S.S .Erin Road, Penal 6.49 13.00
Nell's Poultry Depot California 6.90 20.00
Chico’s Poultry Depot Chaguanas 7.50 10.00
Chicken Boys Poultry Depot Charlieville 8.00 15.00
V&R Ramparas Poultry Depot LP#7, Balmain Road, Couva 7.50 15.00
Mohammed’s Poultry Depot Claxton Bay 6.50 15.00
V Mac Poultry Depot 149, Malgretoute Village, Princes Town 7.00 15.00
St. Charles Poultry 290, St. Charles Village, Princes Town 6.99 15.00
Mohammed's Poultry 57, Manahambre Road, Princes Town 7.00 20.00
Ravi's Poultry Depot La Romain 6.50 15.00
Avocat Poultry Avocat 7.35 12.00
Low Price Poultry Depot Fyzabad 7.00 14.00
Ramphally's Poultry Depot High Street, Rio Claro (Next to Unipet) 8.00 15.00
D Poultry Depot Rio Claro 7.75 14.00
T. Ragoonanan Poultry St Mary’s, Moruga 6.80 15.00
AVERAGE PRICE 7.1850 14.8889
MODAL PRICE 7.00 15.00
Pluck Shop Location Price per lb (Live Weight) Pluck & Gut
Shaun's Poultry and Meats St. James 8.25 15.00
Peter’s Poultry Depot Joyeau Street, Curepe 7.60 15.00
Maddy’s Poultry Depot Southern Main Road, California 6.20 15.00
Indar’s Meat & Poultry Depot 1332 , S.S .Erin Road, Penal 6.49 13.00
Nell's Poultry Depot California 6.90 20.00
Chico’s Poultry Depot Chaguanas 7.50 10.00
Chicken Boys Poultry Depot Charlieville 8.00 15.00
V&R Ramparas Poultry Depot LP#7, Balmain Road, Couva 7.50 15.00
Mohammed’s Poultry Depot Claxton Bay 6.50 15.00
V Mac Poultry Depot 149, Malgretoute Village, Princes Town 7.00 15.00
St. Charles Poultry 290, St. Charles Village, Princes Town 6.99 15.00
Mohammed's Poultry 57, Manahambre Road, Princes Town 7.00 20.00
Ravi's Poultry Depot La Romain 6.50 15.00
Avocat Poultry Avocat 7.35 12.00
Low Price Poultry Depot Fyzabad 7.00 14.00
Ramphally's Poultry Depot High Street, Rio Claro (Next to Unipet) 8.00 15.00
D Poultry Depot Rio Claro 7.75 14.00
T. Ragoonanan Poultry St Mary’s, Moruga 6.80 15.00
AVERAGE PRICE 7.1850 14.8889
MODAL PRICE 7.00 15.00

Consumers are advised that of the two (2) pricing methods that exist, there is no general rule of thumb that one method is better than the other. The preferred method will always be the one that offers better value for money for consumers at the time of purchase. To illustrate this, assume a consumer wishes to purchase a 5lb chicken at a poultry depot that uses the ‘live weight’ pricing method. Using the total average price per lb of $7.19 and an average pluck and gut fee of $14.89, a 5lb bird will cost the consumer $50.84 ((5 x $7.19) + $14.89). However, it is estimated that, on average, 20% of the live weight of the bird is lost in the pluck and gut process.

Therefore, when purchasing a 5lb bird for $50.84, the consumer will actually get a bird with a weight of around 4lbs after processing. Therefore, this translates to a final price of approximately $12.71 per lb for the actual bird. Estimated final prices for other similar weights are shown below:

Live Weight Average price per lb $ Price per bird inclusive of pluck and gut* $ Dressed weight (20% loss) Final price per lb to consumer $
6 lbs 7.19 58.03 4.8 lbs 12.09
5 lbs 7.19 50.84 4.0 lbs 12.71
4 lbs 7.19 43.65 3.2 lbs 13.64
*14.89 pluck and gut

As always, the CAD is interested in safeguarding not just the economic well-being of consumers but their health interests as well. Accordingly, consumers are advised to always:

  1. Compare prices across poultry depots;
  2. Ensure that the premises of poultry depots are maintained in a sanitary condition and that there is running water;
  3. Ensure that handling is done in a safe and sanitary fashion;
  4. When purchasing chicken that has already been processed, ensure that the chicken is free of all entrails and is not discoloured.
  5. Ensure that you and the establishment you go to are employing all Public Health protocols; mask wearing, sanitizing, frequent washing of hands and social distancing.