KARACHI: After opening of markets on Friday and rising demand traders fully cashed the situation by pushing up the rate of poultry meat to Rs300 per kg from Rs282 per kg two days back.

Live bird rate has swelled to Rs176 from Rs166 per kg as people thronged in large numbers to buy meat for making various dishes for Shab-e-Barat, besides the marriage season, which is in full swing.

In January this year, poultry live bird and its meat prices were Rs130 per kg and Rs210-230 per kg.

The government, engaged in serious political issues, is not bothered to take notice of the price hike by the market forces on the demand and supply gap. Another main reason of people shifting towards white meat is the meteoric surge in beef and mutton prices. By February this year, the highest price of mutton ranged between Rs500-520 per kg.

Traders are now charging Rs550-600 per kg depending on the quality of meat and areas.

Similarly, some meat dealers are demanding Rs350-380 for beef meat (bachia without bones) while in many markets it is being sold at Rs340 per kg.

The rate for beef with bones rate is tagged between Rs280-300 per kg.

Dealers linked the red meat price hike to surging export of meat and live animals as well as smuggling. In July-May 2010-11 meat exports had risen to $138 million (47,264 tons) as compared to $89 million (32,298 tons) in the same period of last fiscal year.

Many sports personalities and celebrities have entered in local meat business and export and animal farms as meat is fetching good price in world markets.

There is a gap of Rs6 per kg in poultry live bird price issued by Sindh Poultry Wholesalers and Retailers Association (SPWRA) and Pakistan Poultry Association (PPA). Previously PPA rates used to be cheaper by Rs2 per kg than the SPWRA. However, SPWRA has always claimed that their rates are followed in the markets.

SPRWA general secretary Kamal Akhtar Siddiqui said people were buying poultry despite its higher rates since it is still cheaper than mutton and beef without bones.

He said low production of birds at the farms in summer season had created a big gap in supply and demand ahead of Shab-e-Barat. Despite persistent increase in prices around 400,000 poultry birds are being slaughtered daily in the city. When live bird and its meat prices decline the daily demand reaches up to 450,000-500,000 birds.

A large number of poultry shopkeepers continue to make consumers fool by claiming that they were selling the bird and its meat at wholesale rates, but actually they dip the bird in the water for few minutes after slaughtering, which enhances the meat weight by 60-70 grams.