DSM Fresh Foods Ltd, which sells meat through its Zappfresh brand, said procurement costs rose about 10% due to higher market rates for poultry feed driven by weak monsoon and competing demand, prompting it to raise chicken prices about 5% while absorbing the rest, resulting in a five-percentage-point decline in gross margin. The company said festive-period chicken order volumes rose about 5% year-on-year with stable consumer quantities and average order value, expects margin pressure to persist over the next 3-6 months, and believes it can pass on a further 10% increase without hurting demand.