LAHORE: Chicken prices in the Punjab capital hit an all-time high as one kg retail rate of the white meat reached Rs628 on Monday.

Chicken meat prices have registered an increase of Rs31 per kg during the last four days as it was available for Rs597 on Thursday (May 11).

According to the market committee notification, the live chicken rate in the wholesale market was Rs408 per kg while in retail it was sold at Rs416 per kg. The rate of eggs registered Rs6 per dozen gain as it was selling at Rs290 per dozen in the retail market on Monday against Rs284 per dozen last Thursday.

Consumers and end-sellers both are perturbed at the increasing trend in chicken meat prices as they say that it is depriving the masses of the cheapest source of protein.

Abdul Hameed, a chicken meat seller in Shah Kamal area, said high prices were also impacting his sales as he used to sell 70-80 kgs of chicken meat daily during normal days, while during festivals and Eid days the sale would reach 150 kgs. However, he said that “today he could sell only 30 kgs of meat because of the higher prices.”

Consumers have also appealed to the government to take steps for arresting the rising trend in chicken meat prices.

Published in Dawn, May 16th, 2023