Hafeez asks provinces to monitor chicken prices, ensure its smooth supply

ISLAMABAD: Finance Minister Dr. Abdul Hafeez Sheikh Monday urged the provincial governments to strictly monitor the prices of chicken and ensure smooth supply to minimize the gap in supply and demand.

He was chairing the meeting of National Price Monitoring Committee (NPMC), according to a finance ministry press statement.

Minister for Industries and Production Hammad Azhar, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Revenue Dr. Waqar Masood, Ministry of National Food Security and Research (MNFS&R) secretary, Industries and Production secretary, provincial chief secretaries, Utility Stores Corporation (USC) managing director and representatives of Islamabad Capital Territory Administration, Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, Trading Corporation of Pakistan and senior officers of Finance Division participated in the meeting.

The minister lauded the efforts of the ministries, department concerned and provincial governments for keeping the prices of essential commodities in check.

He also held a detailed discussion with the MNFS&R secretary and provincial chief secretaries regarding the position of wheat and sugar stocks in provinces.

The finance minister also approved provision of wheat to the USC and the formal approval would be granted as per the summary moved by the MNFS&R in the next Economic Coordination Committee meeting.

He directed Ministry of Industries and Production to look into upward pricing trend in the international market and take necessary steps to minimize its impact on the domestic prices, he concluded.

Earlier, the NPMC reviewed the availability of essential commodities namely wheat, flour, sugar, tomatoes, onions, vegetable ghee and chicken.

The finance secretary apprised the NPMC that there had been a consistent decline in prices for the last three weeks.

The Weekly Sensitive Price Indicator data showed that prices declined by -0.3% in the last week, notably in essential food commodities including sugar, onions, potatoes, rice and pulses.

Due to imports by the government and private sector, this improved the availability of wheat, sugar and vegetables.

The MNFS&R secretary briefed the NPMC that sufficient stocks of wheat were available across the country.

The Azad Jammu and Kashmir government had demanded additional quantity of wheat which would be fulfilled in time, he assured.

The industries and production secretary briefed that the slight increase in the price of vegetable ghee was due to spike in the international prices.