ISLAMABAD, June 8: The hike in prices of meat and poultry products is due to shortage of livestock which, in turn, resulted from large-scale export as well as smuggling of animals, according to market observers.

Another factor was the prolonged drought which brought the livestock sector under serious pressure, affecting productivity, a source in the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock (MINFAL) told Dawn .

In these circumstances, the observers wondered as to why the government allowed export when the people were already reeling under high prices of meat and eggs, because even the official statistics show that the rate of increase in their exports far exceeded the growth rate of livestock production.

The country exported 5,21,800 poultry birds in 1998-99.

By 2000-01, their exports had surged to 17,49,000. The export of meat and preparations increased from 10,12,000kg to 32,61,800kg, milk and its products from 600kg to 1,162,700kg and eggs from 46,400 to 883,300 during the same period.

Against this, the gross production of milk increased by only 4.94 per cent per annum to 33.62 million tons during the period 1999-2002. But the meat output at 2.06 million tons posted annual growth rate of only 2.8 per cent.

The growth rate of poultry meat too was not much to write home about — only 3.2 per cent and its production in 2001-02 was 0.35 million. As regards eggs, their total output was placed at 7,679 million with an average growth rate of four per cent per annum.

The export of live animals was initiated in 1997. It increased from 8,100 animals exported in 1998-99 to 36,600 live animals in 2000-01. This side of exports, however, has had a rather chequered history.

During the first nine months of 2002-03, the MINFAL reported export of 940 buffalo bulls, 4,274 cow calves, 330 cows, 30,785 goats and sheep, 51,803 cattle, 1,135 buffalo calves and 21 camels. These animals, however, were exported mainly to Afghanistan, while Saudi Arabia and the UAE were other destinations but in minor quantity.

Following serious concern voiced by experts over the long term implications of indiscriminate export of live animals, the government banned the export of live animals of the age group 24-30 months and made it subject to issue of NOC by the MINFAL.

In 2001-02, both Saudi Arabia and the UAE had banned import of livestock products from Pakistan after these were allegedly found contaminated. Subsequent to the removal of ban in May 2002, livestock products have been exported to these countries in substantial quantities, e.g. 347,112 mutton carcasses; 38,288 beef pieces; 12,888 camel meat peaces, 7,418 dozen cartons etc.