AVN Report
ISLAMABAD: A surge in the prices of poultry products in Pakistan has raised concerns, prompting the government to convene a meeting of the National Price Monitoring Committee (NPMC) to address the issue.
Chaired by Caretaker Minister for Planning Sami Saeed, the NPMC meeting directed the Ministry of National Food Security to engage with the Pakistan Poultry Association to identify and resolve the root causes behind the continuous price hikes of poultry products.
The price of live chicken farm broilers has increased from Rs409 per kg to Rs440 per kg, compared to the previous week. Likewise, the price of a dozen eggs has surged from Rs390 to Rs440. These price hikes signify a shift in the dynamics of the poultry product market.
An official statement issued after the meeting said the minister also urged provincial governments to ensure the smooth availability of essential items, especially during coming Ramazan, and sought a report on the demand and supply situation of specific commodities in the upcoming meeting.
Chief Statistician of the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, Dr Naeem Uz Zafar, presented an overview of the country’s price situation for the week ending on January 11 during the meeting. He highlighted a 44.2pc year-on-year and 1.4pc week-on-week surge in the Sensitive Price Index (SPI), attributing this increase to perishable items such as tomatoes, onions, and poultry products like chicken and eggs.
In the past week, prices of 21 items increased, 8 items decreased, and 22 items remained stable. The minister inquired about the measures taken by provincial governments to bridge the gap between wholesale and retail prices.
In response, representatives from the food and industries departments of Punjab, Sindh, and KP explained that they have been ensuring strict price monitoring through hefty fines, conducting raids, and sealing shops that overcharge.
The Punjab administration is taking proactive measures by asking deputy commissioners across the province to control prices.
The minister also asked the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics to present a comprehensive report on the active usage of the Decision Support System on Inflation (DSSI) by provincial and district authorities for price monitoring and preventing profiteering and hoarding.
