Prices of fresh chicken are expected to go up, the Peninsula newspaper reports this morning, citing sellers and shopkeepers.

It says chicken has been in short supply at a number of supermarkets in recent days.

Fresh poultry from Saudi Arabia previously accounted for a significant portion of supply in Qatar. But earlier this month, Saudi Arabia banned the export of chicken in order to stabilize pricing there.

It remains unclear when the Saudi export ban will end. Qatar previously saw shortages and rising prices of poultry in 2009, amid fears of avian influenza (bird flu).

Have you noticed a price increase? Or a shortage of fresh chicken?