Islamabad
Central Chairman of Pakistan Poultry Association (PPA) Khalil Sattar on Sunday demanded for tax reduction on poultry inputs to avoid fluctuation in price of poultry items and keep the poultry prices down for the consumers.
“Prolonged prevalence of COVID-19, disruption in global and local supply chain including import of poultry grandparents, market speculation, taxes and duties on poultry feed ingredients are the major contributors to price hike of local poultry items,” he said.
Global supply chain of the poultry industry also impacts the poultry prices in Pakistan for being linked with the global supply chain and importing inputs from especially European Union and Middle East,” Khalil Sattar told APP here.
PA chief said that in budget 2021-22 the government has provided tax relaxation on the nine poultry items from three percent to nine percent for facilitating the poultry sector.
Besides the pandemic, the poultry sector had also suffered huge losses due to other multiple factors during the past few years.
Replying to a question, he said that in this budget, sales tax was increased by 10 to 15 percent on 53 poultry inputs and 15 percent on different medicines which could lead to the price hike in near future. Moreover, different levies have also been increased on the raw material used in the poultry sector.
He proposed that the sales tax on poultry items especially chickens and eggs must be lowered at zero percent for curtailing the price hike.
Khalil Sattar said that Pakistan’s exports are negligible due to tough competition abroad and rising cost of raw material in the country.
Chairman PPA said the country imported most of its raw material, including feed ingredients such as soybean and other chemicals and vitamins.—APP
