The poultry sector of the country is estimated to have faced more than PKR4 billion losses because of the devastation caused by floods at farms in Khyber Pukhtoonkhwa and southern districts of Punjab, poultry farmers said.

The News of Pakistan reports that poultry farms of all kinds have been affected in Khyber Pukhtoonkhwa, while a large number of broiler poultry farms have been washed away in Punjab.

Seasoned poultry farmers told the newspaper that no exact estimate had so far been prepared about the losses caused by the floods. The situation would become clear once the flood water started receding, they added.

Chicken meat prices could rise because of a drop in production and it would hurt the middle class the most, they said.

Former chairman of Pakistan Poultry Association (PPA), Abdul Basit, said that about 20 per cent production was affected by floods in Khyber Pukhtoonkhwa according to tentative estimates. "Daily chicken production in the country is three million birds and 20 per cent means output would be cut by 0.6 million birds," he added.

He added that poultry farms not directly affected by floods could also face production losses because feed supply had been disrupted by damage to roads.

Ayub Bridge in Hawaliayn has been washed away and movement of heavy traffic has stopped there, interrupting the supply of eggs and chicken birds in Khyber Pukhtoonkhwa.

Commercial farming has also suffered in Nowshera, Mardan and other districts of Pukhtoonkhwa. Over 2,500 farms have been affected there, he added.

Kahlil Sattar, CEO of K&N Chicken, said that floods had damaged farms in Kot Addu, Muzafargrah and DG Khan. He said floods would have long term as well as short term impact on poultry sector of the country. He said eggs supply to the south of the country had been suspended.

"It is a chaotic situation because in some areas there is shortage of chicken, while there is surplus in other areas. But this surplus cannot be moved to the areas facing shortage," he told The News.