LAHORE: The Pakistan Poultry Association (Northern Region) has alleged that its members are receiving high electricity bills for the last few months which is increasing economic burden on an ailing sector already hit hard because of pandemic Covid-19.

PPA Vice Chairman Ch Muhammad Fargham while talking to media persons here on Tuesday said that the poultry farmers were facing heavy losses due to Covid-19 pandemic which led to less consumption of chicken meat. Ban on marriage halls, restaurants etc also led to the business to an almost collapse. Fargham said that Pakistan Poultry supplies prime quality protein food in the form of poultry meat and eggs, at a very affordable price. Pakistan Poultry has an annual turnover of over 1000 billion rupees and gives employment to over 1.5 million people directly and indirectly.

In order to rescue the poultry industry from prevailing crisis and cater to regular production to ensure a continuous supply, it is very important to solve major issues being faced by it.

He said that it is observed that from last 1½ years about 55% of electricity bills are increased. He further said that poultry farmers are already facing acute problems and over billing in electricity bills will only overburden them. He requested high officials of WAPDA to recover all its bad debts from electricity thieves instead of consumers.

Chaudhry Fargham also proposed that meter reader while visiting poultry farms, must get reading in presence of PPA representatives.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020