Chicken price declines in Karachi

N H ZUBERI

KARACHI: The price of chicken meat has registered decline in Karachi owing to decreasing demand ahead of upcoming Eid-ul-Azha.

Chicken price in the local market has dipped to Rs 200 per kg from Rs 240 per kg during the last few days, traders said.

Traders expect further decline in coming days and expressed hope that it would come down to Rs 180 per kg.

The sharp decline in chicken price has been attributed by the traders to prevailing decline in demand as Eid-ul-Azha is just 14 to 15 days away. It is a general trend in Pakistan that overwhelming majority of consumers purchase chicken meat in bulk and stores in refractor and fridge and consumer it piecemeal.

As Eidul Azha is fast approaching, people prefer to keep their refrigerators and fridge empty for storing the meat of sacrificial animals. Karachiites consume around 400,000 poultry birds daily when prices are high. When live bird and its meat prices decline, the daily consumption reaches up to 450,000-500,000 birds.