February 14, 2006	Tuesday	Muharram 15, 1427

KARACHI, Feb 13: As all the wholesalers and retailers of essential commodities, especially sugar barons, did a roaring business during 1st to 10th of Muharram owing to high demand, poultry trade people also raised the price of broiler live bird to Rs62 from Rs56 per kg.

As the demand of commodities like wheat, flour, sugar, pulses, rice, dry fruits, etc., go up during Muharram when people throng the markets to purchase these items for making haleem and sweat dishes for Nazar and Niaz, there are people who prepare chicken biryani and qorma for the same purpose.

Poultry dealers increased the prices by Rs6 per kg in view of rising demand even after passing of the Ashura (10th of Muharram). As a result, chicken meat price also increased to Rs110-120 from Rs100 per kg.

A wholesaler attributed the price hike to sharp increase in the rates of day-old chicks to Rs23 from Rs10 in the last eight days.

He said that the Karachi Wholesalers’ Poultry Association (KWPA) slashed the rate of live bird to Rs58 on Monday. However, the rate quoted by the Pakistan Poultry Association (PPA) for Tuesday was Rs62 per kg.

It is surprising on the part of wholesalers for bringing down the prices of live bird when the rates of day-old chick were still high.

Both the associations have been at loggerheads over the rights for fixing the poultry rates and as a result of this consumers witness disparity in retail rates of live bird and its meat.

PPA press and publication sub-committee chairman A. Maroof Siddiqui said that the prices of poultry products surged due to rising demand during Muharram in view of preparation of dishes for Nazar and Niaz.

He said the rate of day-old chick also rose to Rs22-23 from Rs12-13 before Muharram.

On the bird flu, he said that so far there had been no case detected in any part of the country.