Chicken Meat Prices Break All Previous Records in Pakistan

Chicken prices in the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad have reached an all-time high, with a kilogram of poultry meat selling for Rs. 700-705.

Moreover, poultry growers estimate that more than half of their farms have been shut down owing to feed scarcity, resulting in a major poultry crisis and skyrocketing prices.

This has caused considerable public outrage, with citizens calling for quick government intervention to rein in soaring chicken prices. Farmers worry that if the feed situation persists, chicken raising could soon come to a standstill, pushing up costs even higher.

The suspension of broiler feed mills, triggered by the government’s unwillingness to allow imported genetically engineered soybean, a critical ingredient in poultry feed, is the fundamental cause of the feed crisis. Wholesalers fear that if the authorities do not act quickly, chicken meat may cost up to Rs. 1,000 per kilogram soon.

Based on a poll conducted by a local news website, chicken meat is more costly in Rawalpindi and Islamabad compared to other cities, with prices in Lahore reaching Rs. 575 per kilogram and Rs. 580 in Gujranwala.

Poultry producers also complain that a scarcity of feed is making it impossible to supply the demand for eggs over the winter, causing egg prices to rise and worries of a potential standstill in market supplies.

Citizens have called on the government to tackle the poultry situation and make products more easily accessible and inexpensive to the public in light of these circumstances.