It may be recalled here that prices of chicken meat have surged to the level of Rs 306 per kilogramme (kg) in the retail markets of Karachi and live bird at 180 per kg, pushing them beyond the buying capacity of an overwhelming segment of the population, which can hardly afford to buy them at such exorbitant prices.

The inflated rates for the past six to seven days caused a sharp decline in the demand of the chicken-related products by the domestic consumers which fell more than 50 per cent during the period. However, the impact of high rates was marginal at a commercial level.

Talking to Daily Times, Pakistan Poultry Association Chief Convener Maroof Siddiqui described the current high prices of chicken meat as a consequence of the ongoing marriage season, creating wide supply and demand gap.

The scarcity situation was further compounded by the short production in Karachi, besides major cities of the province being famous for producing millions of poultry-related products on a daily basis.

During the previous monsoon season, unprecedented rain wreaked havoc not only for agricultural yields but also for a large number of poultry farms, which were either completely annihilated or rendered dysfunctional.

Replying to a query, Mr Siddiqui said majority of commercial outlets including fast food restaurants and five star hotels remained unaffected by the price hike of chicken-related products as their daily purchases remained normal.

Mr Siddiqui acknowledged that owing to very high rates of chicken meat, normal customers who visit thousands of cities' retail outlets daily could hardly afford the prices, which may disturb their daily kitchen budget.

He predicted that the live broiler and chicken meat prices would continue to be on the higher side in the coming days, especially when people would start flocking to fast food restaurants and roadside hotels established all over the metropolis, permitted by the improved weather.

A leading retailer of chicken meat situated in the busy Empress Market replying to a query of the scribe claimed a dismal sale situation as far as his business was concerned.

"Majority of my regular buyers are not visiting my outlet frequently which may be attributed on account of their shrinking purchasing power," he said. Similar sentiments were echoed by another retailer at Hyderi market in North Nazimabad.

"Unless prices of chicken meat start declining, the demand of the commodity would remain depressed spelling financial hardship for my trade," he added.