ISLAMABAD: The twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi are witnessing a surge in the prices of poultry products, with poultry chicken reaching Rs 460 per kg and poultry eggs touching Rs 415 per dozen in the open market.
According to a recent survey, the meat of poultry chicken has soared to Rs 800 to 810 per kg. Over the past few months, the prices of poultry chicken and eggs have consistently risen above Rs 415 to 420 per kg and dozen, gradually distancing themselves from the purchasing power of consumers. In the last month alone, poultry item prices have experienced a 20 percent increase, causing significant market volatility.
The market survey highlights a 25 percent surge in the price of poultry chicken and a 35 percent increase in the price of poultry eggs in the last three months in the twin cities.
Former Chairman of the Pakistan Poultry Association (PPA), Dr. Sajjad Arshad, attributes the price hike to demand and supply imbalances. He notes that rising input costs and the overall cost of doing business in the poultry industry have led to a crisis nationwide. Small businesses and poultry farms are particularly affected, and the economic downturn has impacted the poultry sector in all four provinces.
Dr. Sajjad points out that the economic conditions of the country play a crucial role, and the expensive import of poultry feed ingredients, especially soybean, is contributing to the crisis. He mentions that numerous soybean shipments have been halted at the Karachi port, further influencing poultry prices.
The Pakistan Poultry Association (PPA) is advocating for a further increase in chicken prices, emphasizing the challenging circumstances faced by the poultry industry in the twin cities. Dr. Sarosh, a poultry feed industrialist and former President of the Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce and Industry, underscores the importance of soybean in poultry feed, stating its inclusion as a basic ingredient. —APP
