June 21, 2005

Pakistani province faces high meat prices

Pakistan's Punjab province are facing high mutton and beef prices due to a continuous decrease in abattoir-slaughtered animals and lack of government price control. In Lahore, Punjab's capital, mutton and beef are reportedly being sold for Rs250/kg and Rs130/kg respectively.

Local authorities have raised mutton and beef prices over the past year from Rs130/kg to Rs175/kg and from Rs50/kg to Rs70/kg respectively. However, the meats are unavailable at the fixed prices because local animal slaughter has decreased by 50 percent since 1998 while illegal non-abattoir slaughter has been on the rise. Animal export and smuggling in turn led to local meat supply shortage and uncontrolled price increases.