Rates of beef and mutton increased by Rs 20 per kg in Multan. However, chicken prices declined to Rs 70 per kg after reports of discovery of H5 type bird flu virus traces at two NWFP poultry farms. Butchers are fleecing the consumers taking advantage of the arising situation.
On the other hand, rates of vegetables and pulses had gone high sky. Ladyfinger is available at Rs 40 per kg, peas at Rs 36, kachnar at Rs 40. The Livestock Department officials said: "There are no symptoms of bird flu in this area and all tests taken from different poultry farms proved negative and consumers can use chicken without any fear of disease."
Retailers here are selling chicken meat at Rs 68 to 70 per kg and birds at Rs 46 per kg, while wholesalers are selling birds at Rs 42 to Rs 44 per kg. Boneless chicken was available for Rs 120 per kg and price of eggs varied from Rs 24 to Rs 26 per dozen in different parts of Multan city. Mutton was being sold in Lahore at Rs 200 to Rs 220, beef at about Rs 100 to 110 and boneless beef at Rs 120.
Pakistan Poultry Association's spokesman Mir Nasir Tayyab Zaidi said that rumours about bird flu were being spread by 'some influential people' to sell their 'so-called bird flu vaccine'. He said bird flue could not harm people in Pakistan because of the way they cook chicken.
"Only H5 traces have been found so far which may not be harmful for human beings," he said, adding, "nothing can be said until bird flu virus is confirmed." He assured people that the authorities had put a strict check on bird flu all over the country.