Commentary
The Price of Chicken
by David A. Ross
rather plump, uncooked chicken at around 12 euros in the
Alfa-Beta Supermarket in Kontokali, though it is not that
long ago that the same chicken, I recall, sold for about 5
euros. What's up? I think I might have the answer - at
least here on Corfu.
Strangely enough, dogs may be the reason. Here's why
I think so.
A few days ago my friend and neighbor telephoned me to convey a little (or not so little, as it turns out) problem. Apparently, her dog (an affable animal by most accounts - my own included - who simply, from time to time, liked to join his fellow canines in a romp about the town to let his natural instincts 'free range', but also by other accounts a somewhat notorious if not nefarious creature) had been caught feasting on some of the local (live) poultry. Now, this is not a new phenomenon; dogs have been raiding chicken coops (or in this case free range birds) since time began, not just on Corfu, but anywhere that livestock is kept. Still, anyone who has visited Corfu (or anywhere else in Greece) has seen for himself that dogs often run freely (or in packs) throughout the villages and semi-rural areas. Nobody thinks to keep these savage beasts in kennels or securely fastened on a lead. So, from time to time, it happens. And not only chickens! Poor defenseless lambs and other vulnerable animals are also fair game.
It is also no secret that Corfu has a rather dismal score when it comes to dealing humanely with animals - something less than atrocious, to be perfectly honest. Dogs and cats are often not vaccinated properly; they are not spayed or neutered, often poorly fed and seldom treated for disease. Though it must be pointed out that, in the case of the 'culprit in question', such neglect was not the case; he had in fact been taken in as a stray by his owners, was properly vaccinated, well fed and housed out of the elements, as well as neutered. A few agencies on Corfu try to help neglected and ill-treated creatures, most notably the 'Ark', but those agencies are overwhelmed by the need, as well as being under funded. There is only so much they can do, which is sadly not enough.
So back to the story of the voracious canine. The owner of the accused is not Greek, but she has lived on Corfu for nearly a decade, has a thriving business here, and she is one of the most respected ex-pats in the area. On learning of her dog's exploits, and not seeking in any way to deny her dog's culpability (his muzzle was still covered in feathers on the morning that the gamekeeper knocked on her door to inform her of the atrocity), she immediately offered to take full financial responsibility, emphasizing that it would not be necessary to involve the police. The woman whose chickens had been so indiscriminately fricasseed agreed not to summon the police and told my neighbor that she would have to consult her son in order to determine a fair price. All this sounds very civil and quite reasonable - so far...
A day or two later the owner of the slaughtered birds came to my neighbor and informed her that a price had been set: 3,000 euros for 52 murdered birds! At this valuation simple division informs us that the current price of chicken has skyrocketed once again - now to nearly 58 euros per bird! Seems a little extravagant. A more realistic valuation seems, by consensus, to be about 10 euros per chicken. It also seems to defy logic to assume that one dog - and one dog only - could have been responsible, feathers on muzzle notwithstanding, for the entire carnage: after all, in a hen house under attack, does it not seem probable that most of the birds would have run or flown away in every direction? To my mind, there seems little doubt that my friend's dog must have had 'partners in crime'. Yet, in the spirit of fairness, one must consider that the farmer probably bought these birds as chicks, fed and raised them, benefited from the eggs (probably golden) that they laid. Given that chicks can be bought from passing peddlers for about 3 euros each, it certainly seems a bit of a stretch to justify 58 euros per bird. Nevertheless, the price was set, and the farmer woman was not about to negotiate further. What was my friend to do?
As of the writing of this article, justice still hangs in the balance. My neighbor, who is willing to make restitution, though not at 58 euros per bird, is inclined to allow Corfu's civil court to decide the amount of compensation, and I can hardly blame her. If she is right, the price set by the warden of these birds is far too high; but if the gamekeeper does indeed know something we do not know, then perhaps we are all in for a shock at the supermarket in the not-too-distant future.
Anyone who has recently visited a supermarket - whether he lives in London, or Amsterdam, or Corfu - has experienced the recent and precipitous rise in the price of food. Nowhere is this more evident than in the price of chicken. Not long ago I priced a
Price of Chicken - Corfu Magazine - Vol. 4, No. 1, September 15, 2008
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The well-known Austrian actress Gabrielle Jacoby and a group of like minded animal lovers, both Greeks and foreigners, founded the Ark in 1997. It was formed primarily to alleviate the suffering of stray and abandoned animals on the island of Corfu. The Ark is a registered charity and is administered by an elected board of trustees who are responsible for the various functions necessary to ensure the smooth running of the organization.
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