According to survey conducted by Business Recorder here on Sunday the prices of poultry products registered with 30 to 40 percent increase in wholesale and retail markets in last couple of days.
A sharp increase in prices of chicken and eggs was witnessed due to non-availability of sufficient stock in the markets. The survey noted that price of chicken meat has been increased at Rs 166 per kg from Rs 110 per kg during the last four days in the wholesale and retail market. While, chicken alive is being sold at Rs 250-260 against the preceding week rate of Rs 200. Similarly eggs' prices also shot up from Rs 110 to Rs 130 per dozen in the open market.
The dealers and local district administration had unanimously fixed rates of poultry with minimum rates in wake of surplus stock of chicken in the markets six months ago. Peshawar High Court also took a suo motu notice against the high prices of chicken in market and imposed ban on export of poultry products and cattle to Afghanistan.
"We are forced to quit business as a number of poultry farm closed down due to facing immense financial losses, said Haji Jhangariz, a wholesaler and owner of poultry farm. He informed that dealers are compelled to sale chicken as per prices fixed by the district administration for the last three to four months, because of it 50 percent poultry farm have been closed down due to growing financial losses to owners.
"The closure of a large number of farms causes huge shortages of poultry products in wholesale and open markets", he attributed.
Jhangariz further said that prices did not remain stable due to increasing rates of poultry fodders; while huge differences of prices between Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa poultry markets also making difficulty to sale chicken at lower prices. He informed that the poultry fodder prices have been increased Rs 80 to Rs 100 per sac twice a time in Punjab, which was available at Rs 2,100. While, he said the transportation charges, pesticide and other labour expenses make it impossible to sale chicken against the prices fixed at Punjab province.
He demanded for decreasing the prices of poultry fodder, which can also maintain rates of chicken in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province.
Another poultry dealer said that the supply remained very low for last three to four days to market because of prices go up. "A considerable number of buyers also declined due to increasing prices of chicken and other poultry products", he informed. He expressed fear that the prices would be increased further because of farm owners who are facing huge losses for the last several months in wake of lower prices of chicken.