Jan 26, 2009 (DVB), Residents of Meikhtila are worried that the price of meat will go up if authorities increase the local butchery license fee by 30 percent on 1 April as planned.

A viss of chicken costs more than 2000 kyat at the moment, while pork and beef cost between 4000 and 6000, a Meikhtila resident said.

He said the price of meat was high because butchers have to pay bribes to officials at various levels.

"They said they have to pay nearly 100 million kyat in bribes out of the 200 million they pay in expenses," he said.

A housewife in Rangoon said food prices were already high, and were likely to increase even more.

"The price of meat will certainly rise if they increase the licence fee. Even a bundle of watercress is 200 kyat now," she said.

The cost of butchery license fees reportedly varies between townships depending on size.

Reporting by Ahunt Phone Myat