Chicken could become as expansive than beef in the near future as the cost of chicken feed has risen by 50%, pushing up the cost of production, it has been reported.

Steve Murrrells, chief executive at the Co-op warned that feed costs were now a major challenge facing the food industry.

Chicken could become as expensive as beef,” he warned. “Chicken, which was incredibly cheap and great value for money, is rising quicker than any other protein.”

The British Free Range Egg Producers Association further hikes in the price of chicken feed were expected due to the Russia-Ukraine war as well as rising fuel and energy costs.

In response to soaring costs, Nando’s has increased the price of some of its most popular chicken dishes by up to 8%, The Sun has reported.

Some of the price increases include 55p added to the cost of a whole chicken, while a half chicken and two sides has gone up by 70p.

The cost of ten chicken wings with two sides has risen to £15.45 from £14.95, and a houmous with peri-peri drizzle has gone up from £3.95 to £4.25.

A spokesman told The Sun the menu price increases were down to “the continued rise in the cost of ingredients and the difficult trading environment caused by Covid”.