KARACHI:
Chicken meat which once used to be an affordable option for a majority of the population is now out-of-reach for most. A few days ago, the price of chicken meat touched Rs650 per kilogram. In light of the feed crisis, poultry farmers and traders have warned that chicken could become as pricey as beef.
Earlier, the customs authorities stopped the release of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) soybean shipments, which caused a spike in chicken prices. Given that soybean meal is an important ingredient in poultry feed, feed mills are struggling to meet the rising demand. Resultantly, feed prices have risen significantly i.e., a 50-kilogram chicken feed prices rose from Rs2,000 to Rs7,000 in just three months.
The Pakistan Poultry Association (PPA) launched a protest to pressurise the government to fulfil their demands. However, the crisis remains unresolved. Unfortunately, it is the poor who have to bear the consequences of the surging inflation. Many people can no longer afford broiler meat that they used as an alternative to mutton or beef. The government must address the feed crisis and take steps to curb inflation instead of furthering its political agendas.
Ainee Munir
Lahore
Published in The Express Tribune, January 7th, 2023.
Like Opinion & Editorial on Facebook, follow @ETOpEd on Twitter to receive all updates on all our daily pieces.
