Egg, poultry meat prices rise as mercury drops

Administration silent on arbitrary hike in prices

KARACHI:

With the intensification of the chilly weather condition, the rates of chicken meat and eggs have surged in the city.

The cost of a dozen of eggs has inched up from Rs360 per dozen to Rs400 per dozen in the last few days.

Similarly, the rate of per kilogramme of poultry meat has escalated from Rs550 per kg to Rs620 during the week. Alarmingly, many shopkeepers are selling eggs and chickens at arbitrary prices as per the locality, and the civic administration's efforts to enforce official rates have proven ineffective.

Notably, no official price list is visibly displayed at any chicken shop in the city, and eggs are not being sold at the officially designated prices.

The city administration has, unfortunately, given a free hand to profiteers, ceasing the issuance of official price lists in an attempt to curb overcharging in chicken and egg sales.

Read Poultry shops reopen as price stalemate ends

Despite the Commissioner Karachi, Muhammad Saleem Rajput, setting the retail price for a dozen eggs at Rs290, this official rate has not been implemented.

Eggs are being sold at Rs110 above the official rates and there is no administrative check.

Shopkeepers argue that the surge in the prices of chicken and eggs at the wholesale level is primarily attributed to the imbalance between supply and demand.

The cold weather has led to an increased demand for eggs and poultry, consequently driving up the prices.