KARACHI, Nov 18: Price of poultry live bird has surged to Rs82 from Rs62 per kg soon after Eid. As a result, the rate of its meat is now being quoted at Rs130 as compared to Rs110 per kg.

In a surprise move, Bar BQ and broasted chicken outlet owners have already increased prices from the first day of Eid by Rs5 for chicken tikka and broasted chicken per quarter piece. In many areas, chicken tikka is now being sold at Rs50 as compared to Rs45, while broasted chicken price has been enhanced to Rs60 from Rs55 per quarter. For full broast, the rate has been surged by Rs20 to Rs240 from Rs220.

The increase in chicken price had come at a time when the ban on serving meals in valima and marriage receptions had been imposed by the Supreme Court just few days ahead of Eid. Besides, the marriage season has also kicked off after Eid.

People associated with poultry business last week had claimed that the sales would drop by 25-30 per cent in case the ban on serving meals was enforced effectively. They had said that there was still a chance of 10 per cent sales recovery in case people hold dinners at their residence.

Knowing that bird sales may drop to some extent during the marriage season in view of Supreme Counrt's verdict, clever poultry farmers and wholesalers have made an anti-consumer move on Thursday by enhancing the rate by Rs 20 per kg in order to recover the future losses through sales growth in terms of value. They are trying to justify the price increase by attributing it to low production.

Market sources said that the increase in chicken price by Rs20 per kg from Thursday will go un-noticed as far as government's effort in controlling the price is concerned. The increase is unlikely to make any major negative impact on sales as Pakistani consumers hardly show any resistance to price hike.

However, there is hardly any difference left in the price of chicken and beef while mutton price is still intact at Rs 220-230 per kg.

It may be mentioned here that in case of tomatoes, well-to-do people were seen buying it at Rs100 per kg ahead of Eid. Even consumers from different income groups, who did not have any authentic forum to protest price hikes, were also seen paying high price for tomatoes.

Despite increase of Rs5 in broasted chicken and chicken tikka, children and young generation thronged the outlets with heavy purses and valets during and after the Eid.

General Secretary, Karachi Wholesale Poultry Association (KWPA), Kamal Akhtar Siddiqui defended the price hike, saying that the increase of Rs20 per kg in live bird had not been an "extraordinary".

He linked the price hike to the shortfall in the supply of poultry bird from the farms in the last few days.

Convenor, Press and Public Relation of Pakistan Poultry Association (PPA), A. Maroof Siddiqui said that actually demand had outstripped the supply. For the last two months, production of birds had remained low at the farms. He reckoned that the price hike of Rs20 per kg is too much for the consumers but the rate will stabilize in the next one month.