November 23, 2004

Poultry Prices in Pakistan Start to Ease After Recent Highs

Local prices of chicken and chicken meat in Pakistan are not expected to rise further from current levels even if the demand increases in December and January.

Dealers said prices have already started to ease after recent highs, as the price of broiler chicken fell by Rs4 to Rs 76 per kilogram on Monday. The demand had outstripped supply last week owing to Eid-related parties held all over the city.

"Now as the demand returns to normal, prices would also come down," said Ghulam Farooq, an office bearer of Pakistan Poultry Association. "In the next 15 to 20 days prices would come down to pre-Eid levels."

Not very optimistic about rise in demand during winter, poultry farmers said it rises substantially in upcountry areas. But this is not so in Karachi because it is not very cold there even in December and January.

"Production had been low since the outbreak of bird flu last year, because many people have left the business after suffering heavy losses," said an official of PPA. "Now some people are returning to this business and production would rise to some extent in a month or two."

The retail price of live broiler chicken had jumped to Rs 82 per kilogram, showing a rise of Rs 20 per kilo within few days last week. The PPA office bearer said that live broiler chicken is short in supply since end of Ramazan. Dealers, however, said per dozen price of eggs is likely to remain high as its consumption increases many times in winter season. PPA quoted price of eggs per dozen at Rs 40 on Monday.