The City District Government of Lahore and the Pakistan Poultry Association have agreed to continue the demand and supply mechanism for fixation of the poultry prices on a daily basis, as the government has withdrawn the earlier decision of forcing the poultry dealers to sell the chicken meat at the government-fixed rate of 200 rupees (PKR) per kilo.

The Nation reports, however, the PPA has agreed to ensure the chicken meet supply to the Ramazan Bazaars at the government-fixed rate of PKR200 per kg across the provincial capital in the holy month.

Major (Retd) Syed Javaid Hussain Bukhari, Secretary PPA (NZ), while talking to The Nation said that according to the agreement made between the Poultry Association and CDGL, the chicken meet would be sold for PKR200 per kg in Sasta Ramazan Bazaars while its rate yesterday (9 August) was fixed at PKR115 per kg. He said that the Association met with the Punjab CM and later had talks with the CDGL authorities and convinced them to retain the old demand-supply mechanism to set the poultry rates in the open market.

He said that the traders would continue the sale of chicken at no-profit and no-loss basis despite the fluctuation of prices in the open market during the whole month.

Abdul Haye Mehta, the chairman Pakistan Poultry Association, explained that an emergent meeting of PPA was held to review the situation of the poultry market after the fixation of rates of poultry meat by the DCO Lahore, which is not a competent authority and arresting the poultry retailers after making raids on the poor shop keepers.

He said that the DCO on 8 August created harassment and panic amongst the poultry sector and especially poultry farmers by fixing the rate of poultry meat. He said that this phenomenon was unprecedented. He said that Pakistan Poultry Association appealed to the Chief Minister of Punjab to intervene and resolve this issue. He said that Association ensured supply to Ramzan Bazaars by providing subsidy of Rs10 per kg as compared to the open market. He said that poultry meat is still available at Ramazan bazaars even at less than half of the price of mutton.

He said that poultry meat is the sole factor of stable rates of not only mutton and beef but vegetables and pulses also in the market.

According to The Nation, experts said that the chicken rate would drop in coming days as chicken most of the people would buy the less chicken meat in the second half of Ramazan. Poultry experts revealed that poultry sector had over PKR350-billion investment and poultry share in country's total meat consumption is around 40 per cent which is expected to be increased up to 50 per cent within next three years but unfortunately the sector, which had average growth rate recorded up to 10 per cent per annum in last two decades, has recently showed a negative growth. Feed is an important element in producing eggs and poultry meat that contributes 60 to 70 per cent in the cost of production and if the prices of poultry feed are not kept at a certain level, the cost of production of chicken and eggs would rise upwards unabated, he added.