April 01, 2008	Tuesday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 23, 1429

KARACHI, March 31: Prices of various commodities, including gram pulse and poultry meat, continued an uptrend.

Chicken live-bird recorded a new peak of Rs112 per kg while its meat price crossed Rs200 per kg.

Besides, the price of gram pulse also increased to Rs48-50 per kg.

On the other hand, milk retailers have decided to charge Rs42 per litre from consumers from April 1 as against Rs36-Rs38 despite a crackdown by the city government on Monday in which 37 retailers and wholesalers were jailed and 29 retailers and wholesaler were fined Rs125,800 for over-charging.

The government had fixed milk wholesale rate at Rs32 and retail rate at Rs34.

On March 1, the price of live bird and meat was Rs82 and Rs143 per kg, respectively while on Feb 1, these items were priced at Rs70 and Rs120 per kg, respectively.

Karachi Wholesalers’ Poultry Association General Secretary Kamal Akhtar Siddiqui said poultry farmers had virtually suspended putting new chicks at farms since bird flu scare hit some farms a few months back in Karachi.

People did not stop eating white meat because of bird flu scare, but they cannot afford to buy it at higher prices, he said, adding currently poultry is mainly being consumed by caterers and hoteliers owing to on-going marriage season.

He added that the government was not checking hoteliers and bar-BQ retail outlets where a quarter broast or tikka is still being sold at Rs80.

He said currently 250,000 birds are being slaughtered daily in Karachi as compared to 350,000-400,000 in normal days.

Kamal was not happy over government’s decision of compensating the losses incurred by farmers in case any losses are reported in farms. The government should concentrate on reducing the cost of vaccines because after knowing that the losses would be compensated, many farmers may show losses to get the compensation.

In case of pulses, gram pulse was available at Rs45 per kg earlier this month and now retailers are demanding Rs48-50 per kg.

Karachi Wholesalers Grocers Association chairman Anis Majeed said that the market is abuzz with reports of short crop of gram pulse, ranging between 400,000 and 450,000 tons this year as compared to 750,000 tons last year. The new crop will arrive in the end of April.

In view of consumption of 700,000-750,000 tons per annum, there might a shortfall as markets had a carryover stock of around 100,000 tons, followed by 90,000 tons being held by the Passco. The government department had sold some 20,000 tons in the market.He said the price of Australian gram pulse is $850 per ton while Ethiopian commodity price hovers between $600 and 650 per ton.

He urged the Passco to sell the commodity in the market keeping in view the demand and supply gap in future.

The city government has been pressuring the association for fixing the commodity prices every month. However, the city government, with the help of other trade bodies, had started issuing price lists every month, with a disparity in commodity prices.Anis said that the city government should realise that the commodities are not grown locally and traders have to buy them form the interior of Sindh and the Punjab. Most of the pulses are imported and prices depend on international rates and currency fluctuations.

In case of fresh milk, City District Government’s Price Control In charge Matanat Ali Khan said the government would not let dairy farmers and retailers push up rates to over Rs40 per litre.

However, it has been observed that the city government officials virtually fail to protect the consumer interests.

All-Karachi Milk Retailers Association president Hafiz Nisar Gaddi said that the retailers were getting fresh milk at Rs38.44 per litre from wholesalers as per new supply from Monday. Dairy farmers are providing milk to wholesalers at Rs37.13 per litre. Two months back, retailers were getting milk from wholesalers at Rs34.29 per litre while dairy farmers were selling milk to wholesalers at Rs33.22 per litre.

“We cannot sell milk below Rs42 when we are getting it at higher rate from wholesalers,” he said, claiming that 56 retailers had been punished on Monday, and heavy fines imposed, mainly on retailers.

“When the dairy farmers have admitted an increase in rates, why government is apprehending retailers,” Nisar said.

Dairy Farmers Association president Haji Akhtar defended the price-hike by attributing it to rising cost of various items.

He said the price of buffalo had increased to Rs80,000 from Rs60,000 few months back.

He said that from Tuesday, farmers would sell milk at Rs1,340 per 37.50 kg instead of Rs1,240 to wholesalers. Even many retailers also directly lift milk from farmers. He claimed that so far no dairy farmer had been fined for over-charging.

To control the price increase, former chairman of Pakistan Vanaspati Manufacturers Association Shaikh Amjad Rashid met the prime minister a few days back and suggested formation of a price commission, comprising stakeholders, representing commodity sector. The main aim of the commission would be to monitor country’s stock situation of various commodities, prepare a data base, analyse demand and supply position, and to check element of speculation.

He added that the prime minister had assured him of giving a serious thought to his proposals.