Pakistan Poultry Association offers to buy Punjab surplus feed wheat

Pakistan Poultry Association (PPA) has offered Punjab government to purchase one million tonnes of surplus wheat on exportable rates.

 

PPA sources said on Monday (June 28) that they have sent a summary to federal government for purchasing the surplus wheat to be used in production of poultry feed.

 

They said the poultry industry needs two million tonnes of corn every year for production of poultry feed, which consists of 75% of corn/wheat. Due to short supply in the local market, price of corn has jumped from INR450 (US$9.65) per 40 kg to INR975 (US$20.9) per 40 kg recently.

 

Since the government has imposed 25% regulatory duty on import of corn, PPA has proposed the purchasing of surplus wheat to making poultry feed. The move would also help keep prices of chicken meat and poultry products at a reasonable level, they said.

 

PPA also said that though prices of poultry feed soared up to INR1,500 (US$32.2) per 50 kg bag, prices of chicken meat have not been affected as prices of broiler birds have also come down to INR40 (US$0.86) per bird.

 

Poultry farming expert and secretary PPA market committee Major Javed Bokhari (Retd) said that poultry farming has now become one of the most dynamic associated parts of agriculture sector in Pakistan. He said low chicken meat prices are helping to stabilise the prices of vegetables as the prices of lentils, grams, mutton and other kitchen items have gone beyond the reach of the common man.

 

Due to over production and low demand in Punjab, prices of chicken birds and meat will fall by INR8 (US$0.17) per kg on Tuesday (June 29), he said. He apprehended that with the imposition of value added tax on poultry feed, sharp decline in the demand of poultry meat and closure of 25-30% poultry farms in the country could take place.

 

Bokhari revealed that chicken meat and poultry products are the third biggest consumed food items in the country, after wheat and rice. The poultry industry is expanding rapidly and the rate of growth of commercial layer and broiler (meat producing) farms, is phenomenal to meet the ever-increasing demand for proteins through poultry meat and eggs.

 

He also said that the poultry industry is making considerable contribution to food production and plays a vital role in the economy of the country as 25,000 poultry farms directly provide livelihood to 1.5 million households in the country.