June 26, 2007	Tuesday	Jamadi-us-Sani 10, 1428

KARACHI, June 25: Poultry associations are divided on amount of loss incurred by the industry in Saturday’s storm that killed millions of birds and chicks. One of them estimates loss of Rs1 billion while the other puts the loss at Rs100 million mainly because of hot temperatures prior to the storm rather than devastation after the storm.

Heavy storm had played havoc at the farms located on National Highway, Hawksbay, Gadap, Sujawal, Badin, Tandoallah Yar, Mirpurkhas, Tando Mohammad Khan, Mirpur Sakro, Thatta, Broshur Colony, Bigharmori, Kathor, Hub Chowky, and Pehalwan Goth. Central Chairman Pakistan Poultry Association (PPA) Mir Tahir Zaidi told Dawn from Islamabad that the feedback from his Karachi members, has revealed that 90 per cent loss of birds had been caused by 42 degree temperature and high humidity prevailing prior to Saturday’s storm, while the 10 per cent mortality occurred after the storm. Currently, the financial loss to the farmers is estimated at Rs100 million.

He said that the Karachi Wholesalers’ Poultry Association (KWPA) had been trying to exaggerate the financial loss of Rs1 billion, which is not true.

However, he said that markets in Karachi might not be getting proper daily supplies from the farms as transporters were facing problems in hauling birds to Karachi either because of closure of routes or roads damaged by rains.

Convener PPA Press and Publication Abdul Maroof Siddiqui told Dawn on Monday that the industry estimated birds’ mortality at 400,000-500,000 birds and chicks at 2,000-2,500 farms located in these areas. It means that 30-40 per cent of birds have been lost instantly at the farms.

The PPA will be able to get the real picture this week as there are many cases where storm uprooted the sheds causing little mortality at the farms.

Meanwhile, on Monday PPA increased the egg prices to Rs1,020-1,205 per 30 dozens or Rs36 per dozen due to short supply as compared with Rs900-905 or Rs32 per dozen on Saturday. However, broiler live bird retail prices are still intact at Rs62 per kg.

Maroof said that poultry prices might decline in coming days as farmers were likely to dispose of their stocks as early as possible. Currently, there has been thin demand of live birds as dinner and luncheon parties at the hotels and elsewhere have slowed down due to inclement weather.

General Secretary KWPA Kamal Akhtar Siddiqui said that the PPA was actually ill-informed about the actual losses due to devastation at the farms.

An estimated 1,000 out of 10,000-12,000 farms in the interior Sindh and in outskirts of Karachi had been vanished completely in which one million birds are feared to have died on Saturday.

He said farmers, who have some left-over stocks, are either trying to sell their birds at reduced rates or shifting them to other empty farms near the area. A farm usually has population 5,000 to 30,000 birds depending on the farm size.

Chairman PPA Sindh Zone Mohammad Sohail said that it was difficult to give the exact figures relating to financial losses to the poultry farmers. However, the association is busy in gathering the facts as the storm has caused mortality to millions of chicks and live birds.

He said that the massive birds’ loss at the farms might create demand and supply gap in coming days, thus resulting in escalation in prices.