Chicken prices surge to Rs700 per kilogram

Rates climb across Balochistan amid supply shortages

QUETTA:

Chicken prices have risen sharply in Quetta and other cities of Balochistan, with one kilogram now selling for between Rs630 and Rs700 in the provincial capital.

At the start of this week, chicken was available at Rs430 per kg. Continuous daily increases have pushed the rate to the current high levels. Citizens say not only chicken but also other basic necessities such as flour are slipping beyond the reach of ordinary people. Where rates appear slightly lower, customers complain that shopkeepers do not give full weight.

Shopkeepers attribute the surge to the stoppage of supplies from Sindh and Punjab, combined with successive hikes in diesel prices that have driven up truck freight charges. Local poultry farms are also struggling because of expensive feed, leaving them unable to offer cheaper chicken.

According to traders, the rising cost of poultry feed and other farming expenses has significantly increased production costs, further fuelling the price rise.