LAHORE: Chicken meat was sold at high price in the Punjab capital on Monday, as one kilogram chicken was available for Rs 220 to Rs 235.
The unusual raise in chicken prices, is stated to be short supply. Market sources say over 50 per cent poultry products are being smuggled to Afghanistan, Iran and some other neighbouring countries for profiteering.
According to a random survey purchase power of chicken meat has gone beyond limit of common man. A railways employee Ayyub Khan told APP that chicken was the only commodity which they could buy because of its low price. But, he is unable to purchase chicken meat due to its high rates.
A house wife, Humaira Hassan said her husband used to bring chicken meat thrice a week but now he cannot afford chicken meat within limited income. Meanwhile, a wholesale dealer Rafiq Bhatti at Tollington Market said poultry cartel is active behind poultry prices.
They fix poultry rates on daily basis. "We are at their mercy and the district administration paying no heed to this end," he added.
When contacted All Pakistan Poultry Association (APPA), former President Abdul Basit told this scribe that in every poultry farm owing to long spells of power outages, thousands of birds had perished.
Most of the owners, he said, had already closed their farms due to deficit.
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