PM’s programme boost for Pindi’s poultry market

The market sees extraordinary rush after Friday afternoon prayers amid calls for improving facilities

RAWALPINDI: Even though initial suggestions from Prime Minister Imran Khan last year had been met with bursts of dismissive laughter, the proposal of providing chickens and eggs to the poor to start their own poultry business has resulted in a boost for one market in Rawalpindi.

Three months on from that suggestion, which was made during a speech by Imran on his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-led government’s 100-day progress while citing the idea initially sprouted by Microsoft founder Bill Gates, the Dengi Khoyi market in Rawalpindi has seen the number of customers and sellers increase.

The traditional chicken market is quite old and attracts people from far and wide, including from Gujranwala, Rahim Yar Khan, Mianwali, Khushabad, Mian Chunno and other parts of Punjab.

They seek to bid on different species of hens and roosters and egg consignments. The different types of chicken available include ‘Desi’ — homegrown, Shaver, Aseel, starter and broiler.



The market is quite impromptu in nature and features a number of sellers who arrive at the market on their motorbikes with carts in tow while others put up small, temporary stalls.

Dilpazir Khan, a chicken trader at the market, said that before PM Imran’s announcement last year, people tended to avoid the market.

But now, all sorts of people of varying ages have started to show up at the market.

It was now a common sight, he said, to see people purchase high-quality cockerels and roosters from the market and then even sell them in the very market at a profit.

“The chicken market has transformed itself into a profitable earning opportunity,” he said.

The market, set up in a narrow lane, sees peak rush after Friday prayers.

“There is hardly any space left to walk even,” Dilpazir says.

Tanvir Butt, who was visiting the market in hopes of procuring a cockerel of the Aseel breed.

Asked why he was visiting this particular market, Butt said that good species of cockerels are sold at the market at reasonable prices.

“A cockerel, which is normally sold for Rs10,000-Rs12,000, is sold at the Dingi Khoyi market for a mere Rs4,000-Rs6,000,” he said, adding that chickens are sold at the market without weighing them, rather the price of any species depends on how beautiful it looks.

Sher Niazi, who brought his cockerels from Mianwali to sell in the market, explained that while he could have sold his poultry in his hometown, but the market in Rawalpindi offers a better profit rate.

He further said that working in the chicken market was extremely profitable.

“Some people start their business with as low as Rs2,000 and tend to earn a profit of Rs2,000 to Rs10,000 by the evening,” Niazi said, adding that ever since PM Imran’s announcement regarding the poultry business, the demand for chickens has increased exponentially.



“Even those who previously looked down upon the business are joining the trade,” he stated.

Muhammad Azhar, who was looking for cockerels of Mianwali-origin, said that market has been witnessing an extraordinary rush since the day Prime Minister Imran highlighted the importance of breeding chicken to stave off poverty.

“The market also offers a variety of chickens which can be grown at home,” he said.

Even though the market has been seeing an increase in the number of visitors, it is facing an acute dearth of basic facilities such as sufficient space for sitting apart from the provision of drinking water.

Niazi suggested that the market should be rebuilt so that more citizens can get an opportunity to do business.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, February 11^th, 2019.