Broiler prices soar to record level despite boycott call

Chicken prices soar to record high going as high as Rs 680 per kilo in parts of Rawalpindi

RAWALPINDI:

The cost of chicken increased by another Rs5-10 across the city to reach another record high even amid calls for a boycott over the price hike.

The price of live chicken is Rs460 per kg in markets in the inner city and Rs470 on the outskirts. Chicken meat is priced at Rs670 in the city and Rs680 in the suburban area.

Two civic bodies, the Citizen Action Committee and Anjuman Tahaffuz Huqooq Shahryan, had jointly called for a boycott of chicken and related food items from June 1 to June 15, but it failed to have the desired effect. Rather, the prices maintained their steady rise.

The president of the local union of chicken, Azmat Abbasi, said that the new prices would stay in place till the budget which is scheduled for June 9.

He said that the sellers had no option but to increase prices as farm operators had curtailed supply. This supply crunch was due to concerns about higher taxes on chicken feed, medication, and raw materials in the upcoming budget.

Abbasi said that the prices would experience a downward revision of Rs50-60 rupees if the supply gap was plugged and sellers could meet demand.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, June 6^th, 2023.