KARACHI: Consumers continue to suffer at the hands of poultry sellers, who have pushed up chicken meat prices to Rs420 a kilogram in view of the ongoing marriage season amid a surge in demand, especially on Sunday, due to outdoor dining activities.

Instead of taking any notice of the persistent increase in prices of poultry, the Karachi commissioner’s price list also show the rising trend in live bird and its meat prices.

Earlier chicken prices were falling amid a controversy regarding chicken feed.

Officials fail to check rising prices

Later, the Pakistan Poultry Association (PPA) initiated a print media campaign in middle of February to reject ‘allegation’ of the All Pakistan Solvent Extractors Association that soya bean meal being imported from India and other countries might not be halal.

Now the ineffective price checking mechanism of the city government has given a freehand to poultry industry to fleece consumers.

The city government’s rate of live bird and its meat on Sunday was quoted to be at Rs190 and Rs290 per kg as compared to Rs178 and Rs276 per kg on March 9.

On February 1, the official rates of live bird and its meat were Rs118 and Rs183 per kg.

In absence of any action by the government, retailers have fixed their own rates depending on markets and areas.

Some have put on display the official price list as a formality to avoid any action by officials, but they are selling the live bird and its meat at their own rate.

Two types of retail rates usually prevail in the market.

For example, Muneer Chicken at Samanabad and Gulberg, F. B Area are demanding Rs400-420 per kg for meat and Rs236 for live bird.

Prior to February 15, the same shop was selling meat at Rs250 per kg and live bird at Rs140 per kg.

The boneless rate is Rs600 while golden price is Rs480 per kg. Liver price is now Rs200 per kg which was Rs160 per kg.

Another category of retailers have fixed the rate of live bird at Rs228 per kg, which was Rs120 prior to February 15.

The rate of meat hovers between Rs340 and Rs360 per kg as compared to Rs220 per kg. The rate of golden and boneless meat is Rs450 and Rs550 per kg.

Retailers usually maintain a difference of Rs100 per kg in prices of live bird and its meat prices, but now they have stopped the practice due to rise in demand.

The retailers blame the poultry stakeholders for continuous rise in prices from February 15 onwards.

Replying to a question as to why they were not selling chicken at the controlled rate issued by the Karachi commissioner on the daily basis, they said these rates were unrealistic.

Many retailers said that the low rates of poultry usually created doubts in mind of buyers that the bird might be affected by some disease. Higher rates mean that chicken is safe from any disease or virus, they added.

Some linked price hike to heavy poultry shipment to Afghanistan after opening of the Pak-Afghan border a few days ago.

However, spokesperson for the PPA Southern region Abdul Maroof Siddiqui said price increase had nothing to do with the opening of Pakistan and Afghanistan border.

He said Afghanis preferred big birds (cull bird of parent stock) of 4.5 to five kilo instead of small broiler birds which Pakistanis mainly consumed.

He said demand of birds was at peak due to ongoing marriage season coupled with rising trend of outdoor dining owing to better law and order situation.

However, supplies from farms had failed to meet the soaring demand, he added.

Mr Maroof quoted live bird and meat price at Rs218 and Rs360 per kg, respectively.

The trend of price hike in poultry has been witnessed all over the country.

Published in Dawn, March 27th, 2017