Staff Reporter
Vice Chairman Pakistan Poultry Association (Northern Region), Raja Attiqueur Rehman Abbasi has said that poultry sector is one of the most organized branches of the agro-based sector of Pakistan.
He said that the prices of chicken products are determined purely on market supply demand basis bit at the time, the prices of chicken products are below the input costs incurred by the farmers and they are compelled to sell their commodity at a price lower than their cost of production and so suffer the losses.
In a press briefing on Monday, Attiqueur Rehman Abbasi said the phenomenon of low and high prices help farmers to achieve an average yearly price, which may be slightly better than his input cost, where he is able to make some profit provided his efficiency stays good. Today, Pakistan Poultry has an annual turnover of over Rs800 billion, gives employment to over 1.5 million people directly and indirectly. Employment in poultry is generated at every village level in a much defused manner like giving jobs around their household. Our country is producing 1,322 million kg of chicken meat and 17,500 million table eggs annually.
Cost of production of chicken meat is Rs180 and it increases when it reaches to market it costs around Rs265. It is noticed that 30-35% of the farms have been closed due loss being faced by Poultry Farmers during last months.
The Pakistan Poultry Association (PPA) warned many times the government not to intervene in fixation of prices otherwise it will result in shortage of chicken meat and closure of farms. “We also noticed mutton and Beef are being sold at very high rates. We hoped that government will look into the matter and will find some appropri. Otherwise the whole country will face extreme shortage of chicken meat and eggs.”
