KARACHI, Aug 20: Poultry live birds meat is now selling at an all-time high rate of Rs176 to Rs178 per kg, thus putting an extra burden on the consumers’ kitchen budget. In the first week of August, poultry live bird (broiler) was available at Rs80 a kg, and in the second week of August prior to rains it was priced at Rs84 a kg while poultry meat was available at Rs130-140 per kg.
Soon after the rains, poultry industry pushed up rates to Rs92 per kg for live broiler and Rs150-160 a kg for broiler meat. Currently, live broiler is priced at Rs102 a kg.
As there is no control on poultry prices, market players, wholesaler and retailers enjoy a free hand in fixing rates.
“What to speak of the federal government, even the city government has never bothered to handle the poultry price issue neither during Ramazan, nor after it,” said a consumer.
Wholesalers and farmers often hold meetings with the city government officials, giving assurances to them that they would maintain prices, but they often cross all limits of overcharging as Eid approaches, and they especially create artificial shortage prior to the Eid.
The Pakistan Poultry Association (PPA) has linked the current increase in prices to losses suffered by the farms due to rains, thunderstorm and scorching heat in which it claimed that 3.0 to 3.2 million live birds and chicks have been killed in poultry farms in the interior of Sindh and in Karachi in the last week of June.
The PPA maintains that the poultry farms in Sindh have suffered a loss of Rs670 million, but the government is yet to counter-check the PPA claims. As a result, consumers suffer, and they are made to pay higher prices.
PPA’s convener of press and publication Abdul Maroof Siddiqui reiterated his claim that the price increase was owing to huge production losses suffered by farms in rains in June.
He said currently demand for chicken is high owing to on-going peak marriage season before the holy month. On the other hand, supply is slow because of low production. He, however, said that demand from regular consumers is slow, because chicken sale usually picks up pace in early days of months and gets depressed after 15 to 20 days of every month.
He added that currently 400,000 to 450,000 birds are being slaughtered in Karachi daily. Earlier, this month the figure was 550,000 birds.
He said rains in the second week of this month destroyed farms in Mirpur Sakhro, Badin, Thatta, Gharo, Hub Chowki, but the association members did not give data about financial losses.
A wholesaler said August rains killed 500,000 birds, and its impact would be felt later.
He said chicken prices may come down in Ramazan as demand usually remains slow in the first 15 days of the holy month, but prices start increasing as Iftar-dinner parties are arranged in the last 15 days of the holy month and just two days before Eidul Fitr.
