KARACHI (February 09 2004): The Karachi Poultry Wholesalers Association, which held an emergency meeting here on Sunday evening, decided to further curtail the rates of broiler chicken by Rs 16 to make way for disposing of the stocks that have accumulated to over six million birds at about 5000 poultry farms in and around the city.

The curtailed rates, applicable from Monday, are: Wholesale Rs 30 per kg live bird; and Retail Rs 32 per kg live bird.

The current wholesale rate of broiler chicken in Karachi was Rs 46 per kg while the retail price was Rs 48 per kg.

"The need to reduce the prices further was felt because of the decline in consumption of chicken meat due to scare of 'Bird Flu' and week-long closure of trade on the occasion of Eid-ul-Azha, and increased breeding of broiler chickens during the winter had affected the market," Kamal Akhtar Siddiqui, secretary-general of the association told PPI.

"Owing to the above three factors, the supplies to the market had declined by 20 to 25 percent of normal daily trade of 350,000 birds, during last two weeks. However it is gaining now as the latest reports show the increasing trend in supplies," he said, adding that the supplies on Saturday were about 40 to 50 percent of previous normal daily supplies.

He said that scare among the consumers with regard to 'Bird Flu' had also negative effect on the trade but the major factors for accumulation of stocks were closure of trade on the Eid and swift breeding.

The broiler birds get ready for marketing in 42 days in winter while it takes 50 days in summer, he said.

He dispelled the impression that Bird Flu was harmful for human beings. Besides, he added, the kind of disease found in Karachi and its surrounding areas was of mild nature, also testified by doctors.

Kamal said that in view of mild nature of the disease, no bird was destroyed in Karachi.

He said that birds have gained weight due to continuous feeding during the closure of trade in Eid holidays which also amounts to the weight of about one million birds.

On impact on Pakistan's exports in view of ban imposed by certain countries due to Bird Flu, Kamal said Pakistan does not export broiler chickens and eggs. Therefore, the question of loss on this account did not arise. However, it affected export of hatching eggs, he added.

Courtesy Business Recorder