As part of its mandate to ensure fair pricing in the marketplace, the Consumer Affairs Division has been collecting live poultry prices from a sample of poultry depots throughout Trinidad. The prices listed below reflect prices collected October 21st– 24th, 2022.

It must be noted that the average price per pound (lb) is the ‘live weight’ price, which is the price before the chicken has been plucked and gutted. An additional fee is charged for plucking and gutting. 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 9.25 15.00
Nell's Poultry Depot California 8.80 15.00
Imtiaz Poultry Depot California 8.00 15.00
Chico’s Poultry Depot Chaguanas 8.75 15.00
Chicken Boys Poultry Depot Charlieville 9.00 15.00
V&R Ramparas Poultry Depot LP#7 Balmain Road, Couva 8.90 15.00
Mohammed’s Poultry Depot Claxton Bay 8.50 15.00
V Mac Poultry Depot 149 Malgretoute Village, Princes Town 9.00 15.00
Mohammed's Poultry 57 Manahambre Road, Princes Town 7.99 20.00
Ravi's Poultry Depot La Romain 8.35 15.00
Indar's Meat & Poultry Depot 1332 S.S. Erin Rd, Penal 7.00 14.00
Avocat Poultry Avocat 8.35 12.00
Low Price Poultry Depot Fyzabad 8.60 14.00
Ramphally's Poultry Dept Next to Unipet, High Street, Rio Claro 9.15 15.00
D Poultry Depot Rio Claro 9.00 14.00
AVERAGE PRICE 8.5760 14.9333
MODAL PRICE 9.00 15.00
Pluck Shop Location Price per lb (Dressed Weight) $
George Street Meat Shop Port of Spain 15.00
Ali's Meats and Poultry Mart 22 Pasea Main Road, Tunapuna 18.00
D’Abadie Meat Mart D’abadie 16.00
Reeyad's Poultry Depot Aranguez Main Road, Aranguez 16.00
Market Poultry Depot San Juan 17.00
St. Augustine Poultry Depot Eastern Main Road, St. Augustine 18.00
Pro Processors Arima 16.50
Jeremy's Poultry Depot Arima 16.00
Lamboy's Poultry Depot La Sieva Rd, Sangre Grande 17.00
Joycelyn Poultry Depot Sangre Grande 18.00
Ishmaeel's Poultry Depot L.P A55 Monroe Road, Cunupia 15.75
Imtiaz Poultry Depot California 17.00
Mayaro Poultry and Meats Next to Mayaro Market, Mayaro 17.00
Riaz Poultry Depot Calcutta Rd. #2 Freeport 16.00
Dillon's Meat Shop 153 Rochard Douglas Road, Barrackpore 17.00
Market City Poultry 15 Cocoyea Village, Naparima Mayaro Rd, San Fernando 18.00
Shamo's Poultry and Meat Shop 45 Siparia Old Road, Fyzabad 16.00
R.P.M Meats 20 Rest House Trace, St. Mary's Village, Moruga 18.00
AVERAGE PRICE 16.79
MODAL PRICE 18.00

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 better method will always be the one that offers more savings to 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 $8.58 and an average Pluck and Gut fee of $14.93, a 5lb bird will cost the consumer $57.83 ((5 x $8.58) + $14.93). 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 $57.83, the consumer will actually get a bird with a weight of around 4lbs after processing.

Therefore, this translates to a final price of around $14.46 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 8.58 66.41 4.8 lbs 13.84
5 lbs 8.58 57.83 4.0 lbs 14.46
4 lbs 8.58 49.25 3.2 lbs 15.39
*14.93 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.