Corona Makes Adverse Effects On Supply-demand Chain Of Poultry Products In KP

Like others socioeconomic sectors, coronavirus has made an adverse effects on supply-demand chain of poultry products among cities and villages in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa where chicken's price was surged to record Rs296 per kilogram

PESHAWAR, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 11th May, 2021 ) :Like others socioeconomic sectors, coronavirus has made an adverse effects on supply-demand chain of poultry products among cities and villages in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa where chicken's price was surged to record Rs296 per kilogram.

The poultry products including chicken was beyond the purchasing power of low income class during the holy month of Ramazan.

Prior to the pandemic, a poultry farm chicken was available on Rs160 per kilogram in local markets but now-a-days it was being sold at Rs 296 at Peshawar after its supply was slightly affected from others provinces and districts due to travel restrictions.

Vice President, KP Poultry Association, Ashraf Khan told APP that coronavirus had marred poultry business viz-a-viz affected supply-demand chain among provinces and inter districts.

He said thousands of laborers attached with about 3,300 poultry farms including 148 controlled sheds and 300 eggs production units were hit hard by coronavirus pandemic in KP.

"Majority of poultry farms are located in Hazara and Malakand Divisions from where poultry supply has been affected owing travelling restrictions and lockdowns that caused substantial increase in prices of chicken in Peshawar" he said.

Besides transportation cost, he said prices day-old chicks, broiler eggs and poultry food were also enhanced, causing a substantial increase in prices of the commodity during Ramazan.

Ashraf said the poultry sector was producing about 11 million day-old chicks in a month with the help of 1.5 million people attached directly or indirectly with the industry.

"Most of these people are afraid of becoming jobless if the pandemic prolongs." He anticipated further shortage in supply of chicken in the upcoming months if lockdown and travelling restrictions besides closures of hotels, restaurants and marriages halls continued.

Ashraf said millions of rupees had been lost by poultry investors due to coronavirus and sought a financial package for revival of this dwindling poultry industry.

Dr Aftab Ahmad, Director Livestock Department said an indigenous chicken business had been jolted by the pandemic due to disruption of supply and demand chain between villages and cities. Resultantly, prices of eggs and chicken have witnessed a sharp increase in open markets.

He said substantial losses have been witnessed by poultry owners, milkmen, butchers, transporters and others stakeholders associated with livestock and poultry productions since coronavirus pandemic had struck KP in March last year.

Dr Aftab feared that if coronavirus was not contained during next few months then about 50,000 poultry workers are likely to lose jobs and poultry's productivity would be adversely affected.

Under PM's Backyard Poultry Program worth Rs834.81million, he said the department was helping the affected farmers and distributed five hens and one rooster among them.

Poultry program was launched last year under aegis of PM"s National Agricultural Emergency Programme worth Rs 309.7 billion, under which one million poultry birds would be distributed in next three years among poor people in KP, he added.

App/fam