Chicken is being sold at the rate of Rs 215 to 220 per kilogram in Multan. According to well-placed sources in the market, it is the record increase in the price of chicken in Southern Punjab. The city district administration is witnessing the drama of record increase in poultry prices as a silent spectator.
Meanwhile, the government officials told that they could not take any action because chicken prices were fixed every day in wholesale markets. Chicken was available in the markets of twin cities at Rs 135 per kilogram during the holy month of Ramazan. It was sold at the rate of Rs 138 during Eid days. However, it is being sold at Rs 220 per kilogram in Multan, Dera Ghazi Khan, Bahawalpur for the last three days.
Poultry Research Institute (PRI) Director Dr Abdul Rehman said that the current price of chicken was beyond the reach of the common man. He told that they have called an emergency meeting in which poultry businessmen would participate. "Participants of the meeting will take up the issue of record increase in the price of chicken.
Chicken price will decrease in a month," he said. According to him, the chicken price has been registering a sharp increase as a large number of birds died in hot and humid weather. "There is a wide gap between supply and demand gap. For this reason, the price of chicken is all-time high these days," he said.
All Pakistan Poultry Association (APPA) admitted the fact that it is a record increase in chicken price in Multan. APPA spokesman said, "We are protesting in different parts of Southern Punjab against the non-availability of chicks at reasonable rates. Now chicks are available at Rs 70 to 75 per head." He said that more than 20 percent of birds die because of hot weather and long spells of electricity loadshedding. "The owners of more than 30 percent poultry farms had closed down their business during the last two years because of the losses," he said.
According to him, the chicken price would come down to 'normal' in a month. There are a total of 1225 poultry farms of broiler chicken, 1122 poultry farms of layer chicken and 20 poultry farms of breeder chicken in Multan.
A chicken wholesale dealer said that rates are fixed by the concerned government department and tycoons of the poultry industry.
An officer of the Poultry Research Institute, on condition of anonymity, told that it was a big deal between officials of the concerned department and tycoons of the poultry industry in which no one could interfere. "These people are robbing the public with both hands by fixing the rates of chicken according to their will," he said. According to him, tycoons of poultry industry and officers of the concerned department are presenting lame excuses for increasing rates and playing a big game with the public.
He said that poultry businessmen were expanding their business by establishing more and more farms rather than closing down their business in Multan.
There is no shortage of birds at all but poultry tycoons are adjusting their losses, which they suffered because of the bird flu during the last two years, he said. Broiler, layer and breeder chickens are being sold at the same rate of Rs 220 per kilogram in Multan.