KARACHI: Pakistan Poultry Association (PPA) has issued a rebuttal to a statement given to National Assembly’s Finance Committee about the cost of day old chicks.
The rebuttal issued by PTA general secretary said that it is mind boggling as to how the cost of production of Day Old Chicks has been worked out.
It said first of all, every producer has a different cost of production, depending upon their management efficiency, disease, etc. In the year 2012, the Animal Husbandry Commissioner worked out Day Old Chick cost of production of Rs 31.27 and had provided to Chief Justice Peshawar High Court.
After a lapse of over 12 years, it is unimaginable that the cost would only double whereas the fuel, electricity and all raw material prices have increased substantially and almost every imported ingredients of poultry feed has been subject to sales tax. It said there are many poultry farms in the public sector, who could have given the correct cost.
“Further, we are also surprised to see that the Finance Committee has been given a daily production of 800,000 ~ 900,000 day old chicks, which is absolutely incorrect. These figures are far from reality. The contention that prices came down because of FBR’s actions are also contested.
“The fact is every year broiler growers are reluctant to place chicks because of the very low demand during Eid-ul-Adha. During May 2021, average monthly DOC prices were Rs 80 which came down to Rs 15 during Eid-ul-Adha and likewise in 2022 from Rs 59 to Rs 51 and in 2024 from Rs 210 to Rs 76.
“It’s not in distant past, day old chick prices were even sold at Rs 1 and were even left in fields as there was no demand. There are wild month-to-month fluctuations in day old chick prices. Prices fluctuate due to a number of factors including Islamic calendars and climatic conditions. For instance, during the month of Muharram, chicken meat demand goes down, as such, prices also go down.”
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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