KARACHI: The poultry prices across the metropolis have witnessed a significant decline, thanks to the closure of borders with Afghanistan which has resulted in suspension of trade.

Consumers in local markets express surprise at the decline in rates and suspect it is due to the “spread of some kind of disease” among the birds.

However, Sindh Poultry Wholesalers Association (SPWA) general secretary Kamal Akhtar Siddiqui ruled out any disease in the poultry.

Speaking to Dawn, he said suspension of trade and export of poultry products — birds, feed, eggs, etc — to Afghanistan due to border closure had caused the prices to fall.

Live bird is selling at Rs350-Rs370 per kg; govt urged to take notice of high prices of chicken dishes at eateries

Currently, retailers are seen charging Rs350-Rs370 per kilogram for live poultry birds compared to Rs460-540 per kg in September.

Even in mid-October when the border closure began, the price of live birds crashed to Rs310-360 per kg, while boneless meat was available at Rs650-700 per kg.

Retailers offer poultry meat with giblets at Rs400-480 while others ask for Rs530-580 per kg for clean meat. Boneless rates now hover between Rs700-800 per kg versus Rs1,000-1,100 in September.

Stakeholders believe that price difference exists because of the quality of the birds and their meat which may differ in various retail outlets.

Contrary to market rates, the commissioner of Karachi on November 23 issued the rates of live bird and its meat (without giblets), which are Rs288 and Rs435 per kg, respectively, but these rates are not followed by retail shops due to absence of the official price list.

Some shops, although displaying the official price list, openly sell poultry products at their own rates.

‘Cheaper than red meat’

The SPWA’s general secretary said that besides border closure, farmers faced the issue of overproduction at their farms coupled with an overweight of birds.

“Chicken is still cheaper than red meat. It is a big relief for many low and middle income people, who can easily buy it as the rates of mutton and beef are still too high,” Mr Siddiqui said.

He said people holding wedding parties prefer to put multiple chicken dishes rather than focusing on an expensive beef or a mutton dish.

Mutton is sold at Rs2,300-2,500 per kg while veal meat (Bachia) with bones and without bones are available at Rs1,400 and Rs1,600 per kg, respectively.

No relief in eatery prices

Despite the fall in rates, the prices of chicken tikka, broasted chicken, Seekh kebab and Boti, Chinese dishes, etc, have not yet recorded any decrease.

Surprisingly, one kilo chicken karahi still costs Rs2,000-Rs2,200 which is three times higher than live bird rate, he said.

Mr Siddiqui urged the commissioner of Karachi to take serious notice of the steep rise in chicken related dishes prices at hotels and restaurants.

“Consumers must get price relief after a drop in poultry rates,” he added.

Published in Dawn, November 24th, 2025