KARACHI: Prices of meat shot up by almost 100 per cent in some places in the run up to Eidul Fitr.

After raising beef prices by Rs20 per kg in March the retailers had fixed the rate at Rs460-480 per kg for veal with bones and Rs560-580 per kg without bones.

Now few days ahead of Eid, retailers came out with another price jump. As a result, many retailers are now charging Rs500-540 per kg for veal meat with bones and Rs600-640 without bones.

In March mutton price had been raised by Rs50 to Rs900 from Rs850 per kg but few days ahead of Eid the shopkeepers started charging Rs40-50 per kg extra to push the rates to Rs940-950 per kg.

In Tariq Road, mutton sells at Rs1,000 which was Rs950 a few days back while in March it was Rs900 per kg.

The city government had kept the price of mutton unchanged at Rs740 per kg in 2017 and 2018 which was Rs550 per kg in 2015.

High livestock, meat production fail to bring any relief

The official rates of veal meat with and without bones were Rs380 and Rs470 per kg in 2017 and 2018 which were Rs320 and Rs440 per kg in 2015.

Consumers expressed surprise over frequent rise in beef and mutton prices despite growth in livestock production and its meat in the last three years.

According to Economic Survey 2017-18, goat production rose to 74.1 million in 2017-18 from 72.2m in 2016-17 and 70.3m in 2015-16.

Buffalo production soared to 38.8m in 2017-18 from 37.7m in 2016-17 and 36.6m in 2015-16. Cattle production increased to 46.1m in 2017-18 from 44.4m in 2016-17 and 42.8m in 2015-16.

Beef production grew to 2.155 million tonnes in 2017-18 from 2.088m tonnes in 2016-17 and 2.017m tonnes in 2015-16.

Mutton production, which was 686,000 tonnes in 2015-16, surged to 701,000 tonnes in 2016-17 and 717,000 tonnes in 2017-18.

Meat retailers had always blamed exports of meat and meat preparations for putting pressure on local meat prices, but figures of Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) nullify their claim as exports started improving from April this year after remaining under pressure in the last two years.

Exports of meat and meat preparations in July-April 2017-18 improved to 53,160 tonnes ($189m) as compared to 51.072 tonnes ($178m) in same period last fiscal year. Total exports in 2016-17 fell to 61,516 tonnes ($221m) from 77,324 tonnes ($269m) in 2015-16.

The role of City government in regulating meat prices had never succeeded leaving the consumers at the mercy of retailers who continued the practice of raising prices ahead of Eidul Fitr.

Poultry stakeholders also played havoc with the prices ahead of Eid. They first raised the price in first week of June by Rs16 per kg in broiler bird to Rs176 per kg and Rs30 per kg in broiler meat to Rs290 per kg.

Just few days back, they further pushed up the rate of broiler live bird to Rs235-240 per kg while meat price now hovers between Rs340-350 per kg. Some greedy retailers are also seen charging Rs400-410 per kg for clean meat.

According to Economic Survey 2017-18, poultry sector is one of the most vibrant segments of livestock sector. This sector provides employment (direct/indirect) to over 1.5 million people. Poultry today has been a balancing force to keep check on the prices of mutton and beef. The current investment in poultry Industry is more than Rs700bn.

According to the survey, poultry meat production for the year 2017-18 was to the tune of 1.39m tonnes, which contributed 32.7pc of the total meat (4.3m tonnes) production.

During 2017-18, the poultry has contributed 1.4pc in GDP, while its share in agriculture and livestock value added stood at 7.5pc and 12.7pc, respectively.

The poultry value-addition at current factor cost has reached to Rs175.5bn (2017-18) from Rs.162.8bn (2016-17), an increase of 7.8pc compared to the same period last year.

The commercial layer, breeders and broiler stocks showed estimated growth of seven per cent, five per cent and 10pc respectively while rural poultry developed at the rate of 1.5pc when compared to 2016-17.

Poultry meat production in 2016-17 was 1.276m tonnes and 1.170m tonnes in 2015-16.

Published in Dawn, June 16th, 2018