Just ahead of an important meeting with the City District Government Karachi (CDGK) to fix the rates of live chicken bird and its meat for Ramazan, the wholesaler association has decreased their prices by Rs 8 and 12 per kg respectively as a face saving move on Wednesday.
Price issue of essential kitchen products always rises days before Ramazan during which wholesalers of commodities at their whim earn profit manifold through various tactics, namely on the pretext of their shortage in the market.
Now, price of live chicken bird - broiler in the wholesale market came to Rs 100 per kg and being retailed at Rs 102. Similarly, with the officially decrease in prices - its meat is sold at Rs 170 per kg and Rs 174 per kg in the wholesale and retail markets respectively.
It may be mentioned here that poultry wholesale association has increased the prices of the poultry on rapid basis during and after recent monsoon rains on the basis of short supply from farms against the increasing demand.
This trend of rapid increase in prices has brought the chicken bird and its meat prices to a record high level to Rs 180 and 186 per kg by shrinking the purchasing power of consumers.
During July this year, the price of live broiler was 57 and 58 per kg in the retail market shot up to Rs 110 per kg and its meat was available in the range of Rs 110 to 120 mounted to Rs 186 per kg. In some parts of the city, its price was Rs 188 per kg.
It is also mentionable that there is no mechanism of rate checks by the authorities concerned to provide it on reasonable rates and curb the wholesalers from earning undue profits particularly, in Ramadan when its consumption is on the rise.
Moreover, a press statement issued by the Karachi Wholesalers Poultry Association (WPA) here, stating that broiler chicken price was reduced by Rs 8 per kg and its meat by Rs 12 per kg.
However, sources in the association said that it was done due to a meeting is going to be held today (Thursday) with officials of Enterprise and Investment Promotion Department of the CDGK to fix the rates of poultry for Ramadan.
This move has also become necessary for the association to avoid action by this civic authority on the high rates of chicken in a few months to a record level before Ramadan besides fixing them on a point acceptable also for the CDGK, ie live boiler at Rs 102 per kg and its meat at Rs 174 per kg.