KARACHI, July 3: The Pakistan Poultry Association (PPA) has finally come out with exact financial loss of Rs670 million from the killing of over 3.0 to 3.2 million live birds and chicks owing to scorching heat, rains and storms in Karachi and other parts of Sindh. However, the wholesalers’ body has expressed reservations on the figures.

Speaking at a press conference at Karachi Press Club, PPA Sindh circle chairman Mohamamd Sohail Chaudhry and convenor press and publication Abdul Maroof Siddiqui said that the mortality of 300,000 layer birds caused a loss of Rs60.36 million, and there was another loss of over Rs330 million due to death of over 3.26 million broiler birds.

The industry people suffered a loss of Rs280 million owing to destruction of poultry sheds.

They demanded of the government to provide a mark-up free loan of Rs1 million to poultry farmers so that they can restart their businesses.

They said the private sector had invested Rs125 billion and the growth in poultry sector had also kept the rate of beef and mutton stable to some extent.

Meanwhile, Maroof Siddiqui told Dawn that the surviving poultry farmers are now releasing their stocks to avert further losses in case rains again hit their farms. As a result, the price at retail stage is stable at Rs62 per kg. Even farmers are not getting poultry feed at their farms in Sindh due to bad road conditions after rains. There are also problems of power failures and lack of water availability.

“Currently, Karachi is consuming 450,000 to 500,000 birds daily as compared to normal consumption of 600,000 to 700,000 birds,” he said while speaking about daily consumption of birds.

The PPA office-bearers pointed out that land mafia was grabbing land between the boundary walls of poultry farms, and also urged the Sindh government to extend the period of lease for another 30 years.

According to Economic Survey 2006-2007, production of commercial broiler is estimated at 316 million in 2006-2007 as compared to 304 million in 2005-2006, while layer bird production in 2006-2007 is estimated at 23.8 million as compared to 23.2 million birds in 2005-2006.

Poultry meat production in 2006-2007 was 480,000 tons as compared to 463,000 tons in 2005-2006.

An estimated 5.2 billion eggs were produced in 2006-2007 as compared to 5.1 billion in 2005-2006.

Meanwhile, general secretary of Karachi Wholesalers’ Poultry Association (KWPA), Kamal Akhtar Siddiqui, said that the PPA office-bearers do not know the exact figures.

He said he had already stated that the industry had suffered a loss of Rs1 billion during rains and storm.

He said around 1.5 million live birds and chicks died before and after storm/rains and not over three million. PPA’s assessment of slaughtering of 600,000-700,000 birds only in Karachi is also wrong and the correct figure is 450,000 birds daily.