F.P. Report
PESHAWAR: The price of broiler chicken meat witnessed another considerable slash on Friday in Peshawar as according to the local market’s price list, the price fell from all time high Rs 321 to Rs 241 per kilogram proving a relief to households in buying the essential edible commodity.
The people associated with the chicken business said the plunge in chicken price was recorded after the Peshawar High Court ordered a ban on its export to Afghanistan. The decision from Peshawar High Court came after the price of chicken recorded an all time surge during the holy month of Ramazan.
Abdul Maroof Siddiqui, spokesman for Pakistan Poultry Association Southern Zone said one of the reasons behind the upward trend in the chicken prices was that it was being transported to Afghanistan. He said the prices were determined by the demand and supply of the commodity.
The lockdown situation due to coronavirus also led to a decrease in chicken production, ultimately leading to a hike in its prices due to greater demand, he said.
Niaz Gul, the president of Peshawar Poultry Association, said that a major problem they faced was that when they picked the chicken from farms by paying per kilogram of the commodity, the weight of the chicken got reduced before they reached their trade centers and shops.
Poultry dealers and farm owners attributed the prices have gone up because of closure of numbers of poultry farms and its low production, besides a steep rise in prices of chicken fodder and other expenses also contributed to the rise in its price.
Some businessmen of Peshawar’s largest chicken market near Chargano Chowk said the notable slash was recorded in chicken price after its export to Afghanistan was banned by the court. They said live chicken was exported to neighboring Afghanistan in large numbers because it has not much resources for chicken meat production with lack of chicken farms.
Besides, they said its high demand during the month of Ramazan also caused an unusual surge in its prices. Chicken meat, they said besides an essential part of our kitchens, was also an essential part of the hotels’ menu. The hoteliers, they said, buy chicken in large amounts usually without caring for its price as they charge customers according to chicken price in the market and were less affected by the raise in its price.
They hoped the price of broiler chicken may witness a further decline with the advent of summer season and fresh supply from the farms.
It needs a mention here that the price of chicken meat recorded Rs 80 per kilogram fall during the last couple of days in the local market. The decrease in price has also benefited the people associated with chicken business as according to them the numbers of customers had reached a minimum level owing to high prices of the commodity.
The consumers on the other hand have expressed some satisfaction as they used to buy the chicken meat up to 321 rupees per kilogram during the holy month of Ramadan.
However they said there was a need for more steps to bring the price of chicken to a further low level as considered a requirement of their dining sheet.
