Govt fails to check spurt in poultry prices

Traders claim hike is result of prolonged lockdown

LAHORE: The prices of chicken have jumped to Rs350-355 a kilogramme as the government failed to implement the notified rates in the provincial capital.

The official price list issued by the deputy commissioner and Lahore Market Committee showed that the notified retail price for poultry meat was Rs260 per kilogramme and a live bird Rs179 per kilogramme.

However, a survey of different areas showed that the meat was selling at Rs350 a kilogramme. In several areas, poultry traders have also stopped sale of live chicken for undisclosed reasons.

Representative of poultry traders’ association highlighted that they had several meetings with the Punjab minister for industries, the deputy commissioner and provincial livestock secretary over the price mechanism.

The government wanted to cap poultry products prices so all these meetings failed to reach any agreement as the price cap was not acceptable to the traders.

Lahore Poultry Traders Association President Tariq Javed told The Express Tribune that another representative body of poultry traders had already decided to move the courts as poultry traders could not afford to continue business amid highhandedness of the government.

He said that earlier it was decided in a meeting that the Punjab chief minister would take the final decision over poultry prices after hearing the stakeholders but he had maintained the official rates.

“We have been left with no option but to seek relief from the court of law as the government is not paying attention to the trading community, which is already bearing brunt of closure of marriage halls, hotels and restaurant,” he maintained.

Former chairman of Pakistan Poultry Association (PPA), Khaleeq Arshad, said the government was trying to regulate chicken prices through unfair means, which is against the norms of free market economy.

He highlighted that the current price spike was a result of the prolonged lockdown.

He disclosed that a day-old chick costs around Rs35-40 but since there was no buyer in the market hatcheries had to dump chicks into the ground which reduced chicken supply in the market and resulted in increasing price of poultry meat.

Meanwhile, the Lahore deputy commissioner directed all the assistant commissioners to take strict action against poultry traders slaughtering underweight birds.

The deputy commissioner instructed the officials concerned to launch a crackdown against poultry sale points selling the meat of birds weighing less than 1.3 kilogrammes as it was harmful for human consumption.

Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar asserted that no one would be allowed to increase the prices of essential items, including flour, sugar, ghee and poultry.

He directed the administration to take action against profiteers. He reiterated that the provision of essential items will be ensured at fixed rates. The government will protect rights of the people and every cartel jeopardising the public interest will be smashed, he underscored.

The chief minister said that increase in the rates of flour, sugar, ghee and poultry is unacceptable after a sufficient decrease in the prices of petroleum products.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 4^th, 2020.