April 23, 2014

By the end of this month, Pakistan's poultry prices would come down as the recent hike in prices of poultry products was temporary, chairman of Pakistan Poultry Association (PPA) Hassan Sarosh said.

The prices increased due to rise in demand with no increase in poultry supply. Now the supply of live chicken in the market has increased, reducing its retail price to PKR165 (US$1.70) per kilogramme, he added.

Hassan said that the poultry farmers incurred losses due to over-production during last one and a half year. As a result, most of the poultry farms were shut down, causing shortage of the product. Due to less supply in the market, the prices went up, he added.

As the closed farms had been reopened and started breeding chickens, production would increase, which bridge the demand-supply gap bringing the price to normal range, he said.

Hassan also said there was high demand for eggs due to prolonged winter season.

PPA Secretary General Bashir Mahmood attributed price hike to less poultry production due to energy crisis, and high prices of feed and medicine.