December 10, 2009

Chilly climate forces up Pakistani poultry prices

The recent cold weather has pushed up the prices of poultry meat and eggs in Pakistan.

The prices of chicken and eggs have further been increased by poultry dealers in twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad with the advent of chilly weather, according to The Nation of Pakistan.

According to a survey conducted by APP, the chicken and eggs are being sold at 120 rupees (PKR) per kilo and PKR85 per dozen, respectively, in the different markets.

Farhat Iqbal, a government official explained that egg prices shoot up in winter when demand increases, adding that prior to the winter, eggs were available at PKR60 per dozen in the market but their prices are continuously going up for the last two months.

The president of the Pakistan Poultry Association, Dr Zahid, says that increasing costs for feed, petroleum and electricity are the main reasons behind the rise in the prices of poultry products.

Dr Zahid explained that strong demand usually increases egg prices during the winter, and that the trend is likely to continue for a further month.

Consumers have expressed great concerns over the trend of increased prices for chicken and eggs and the lack of any price control mechanism, he said.