Broiler crisis brews in twin cities

Shops stay closed as poultry sellers go on three-day strike

RAWALPINDI:

Poultry wholesalers and chicken meat retailers in the twin cities and across the Rawalpindi division started a three-day strike on Wednesday to protest the ongoing dispute with the local administration over the fixing of chicken prices.

The strike, which will continue till Friday and can be extended, has created a shortage of chicken meat across the district. It has also impacted supplies to adjoining areas like Azad Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan and Abbottaba.

The wholesalers and retailers, who are part of separate collectives, said there were 37,000 chicken shops registered with the union in the Rawalpindi division and Islamabad. All these shops will remain shut for three days till Friday, said Malik Ghazanfar of the wholesalers’ association.

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He said the supply of chicken to catering companies and other food establishments had been suspended as well. This left many caterers scrambling for last-minute menu changes, particularly at weddings and other events. This resulted in driving up the cost as some caterers bought chicken at higher prices or replaced with meat or beef.

As per reports, live chicken was sold at Rs650 per kg and chicken meat at Rs750 per kg on the ‘black market’.

The major chicken meat markets of Rawalpindi including those at Shamsabad, Bagh Sardaran, Lal Karti and Bani Chowk also remained shut.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 30^th, 2023.