ISLAMABAD, July 16: The Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) has urged the government to allow duty-free import of chicken meat from neighbouring countries, including India, Iran, China and Sri Lanka, to arrest the constant increase in poultry prices.

ICCI President Tariq Sadiq said that at the time of budget announcement, the poultry prices were 50 per cent less than the present rates.

According to a press release issued on Friday, the chamber suggested that poultry prices could only be brought down by allowing duty-free import from neighbouring countries.

The ICCI president also urged Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz to take notice of unjustified hike in rates of poultry in the country.

He said that in the budget the poultry industry was greatly facilitated as compared to other sectors, but the rates of poultry products were steadily increasing instead of expected decline. He observed that poultry products were used by common man, so the prime minister should take serious notice of the tremendous increase in its price.

The ICCI president said that although the prime minister had announced duty-free import of potatoes, onions, ginger and meat from India, the rates of these commodities were still very high in the local market.

Mr Sadiq pointed out that there was a shortage of these items in the market and prices had become out of the reach of common man.

He said that meat was being exported from Pakistan to various countries and as a result, its price is increasing day by day. He urged the government to ban meat exports in order to bring its price down in the local market.