March 26, 2006	Sunday	Safar 25, 1427

KARACHI, March 25: Farm owners and wholesalers have increased prices of live bird by Rs12 per kg in just one day to show that demand is rising, but in real terms consumers and hotels and restaurants still avoid buying white meat owing to bird flu scare.

The Pakistan Poultry Association (PPA) raised the rate of live bird to Rs52 from Rs40 per kg a day back. As a result, meat price increased to Rs80-85 from Rs65-70 per kg.

People are already scared of bird flu cases in neighbouring countries. The situation has further become disastrous when tests this week confirmed H5N1 virus in the birds at two farms in northern areas of the country where avian influenza was detected on February 27.

The bird flu scare has plunged the stakeholders in poultry business into deep trouble as any decrease in prices reveal thin demand while the increase shows rising demand. They appear confused these days, saying that clearing perception among the people about the bird flu is taking too much time despite hectic efforts by the government and the industry.

PPA central chairman Raza Mehmood Khursan said: “At present the industry is passing through a very crucial situation as it has already suffered a loss of Rs5 billion in just one month. We anticipate a same loss next month in case situation remains uncertain and sales are not recovered,” he added.

Mr Khursan said many small and medium sized poultry farmers had either shifted to other business or have packed up their business after sustaining huge losses. He said that many farmers were not breeding new chicks due to uncertain conditions.

However, he said that there had been some recovery in sales as against a 50 per cent drop earlier this month. Sales have been fluctuating since the bird flu scare has gripped the nation. “I think fear and panic are now slowly disappearing which are reflective from an increase in prices because of a surge in demand for white meat,” he added.

The industry involves a huge investment of Rs100 billion and produces 750,000 tons of poultry meat annually. As many as 25,000 farms exist all over the country.

He said some poultry people held meeting with Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz and urged him to boost the morale of consumers in resuming poultry buying. Besides, the PPA has also requested the prime minister to allow one dish at valima and marriage ceremonies to revive the industry.

Karachi Wholesalers’ Poultry Association (KWPA) general-secretary Kamal Akhtar Siddiqui said: “The industry has suffered a loss of over Rs7 billion in the last one month.” He said the price had increased because of some improvement in demand. However, he said that farmers had reduced the placement of chicks at the poultry farms.

He linked the ongoing crisis to the campaign launched by multinational companies for promoting anti-bird flu virus vaccines. “We have been trying to create awareness among the people that egg and chicken are safe for eating. A virus is automatically killed when chicken is cooked at 70 degree centigrade,” Kamal said.

In a sharp contrast to the PPA and KWPA officials’ claim, a random market survey reveals that a very little number of people are seen enjoying chicken at chicken tikka and broast outlets.

“Our sales have dropped by 50 per cent,” a broast chicken outlet owner in North Nazimabad said. Another outlet owner in F.B. Area said that his sales had plummeted by 40 per cent.

However, it is interesting to note that these outlet owners and even foreign and big local chains have not reduced rates of chicken related dishes despite a steep fall in prices chicken.

La Rosh Restaurant and Catering chief executive Khurshid Ahmed said that 60 per cent customers in his restaurants were avoiding munching chicken and equally the same percentage of consumers were reluctant to place orders for white meat for various ceremonies. He said people preferred placing orders for mutton, beef and fish these days.

“Some 25-30 per cent of people are very conscious of eating chicken related dishes,” officials at some leading restaurants said, adding that they were now offering fish as a substitute. Even chicken-based outlets are witnessing thin attendance of customers, and an official at a popular restaurant said that sales had dropped by 20-25 per cent.