KARACHI (February 07 2004): The sale of chicken meat, which was declared harmful for human consumption, is again in full swing and the poultry business has started gaining momentum.

Although the health department is yet to make a clear policy announcement, the consumers are not waiting for it.

They are compelled to purchase chicken meat due to shortage of mutton following the closure of butchers' shops due to slaughter of sacrificial animals.

Due to wide spread use of the meat of sacrificial animals, the fish market is also partly closed.

If available, fish is very costly. Its price is ranging between Rs 250 and Rs 300 per Kg.

The consumers are forced to go to the poultry shops again and making purchases without any hesitation.

The prices of chicken meat are again moving up. The chicken dealers have taken a sigh of relief.

Similarly, Chicken-Tikka business, which had practically come to a standstill has again gained momentum. Tikka dealers convince the consumers that Tikka, prepared on coal-fire, is served immediately to the customers and there is no harm in its consumption.

Eggs are also on full sale. Till recently, eggs of Desi poultry were only on sale. Consumers were not buying the eggs of farm poultry.

A couple of months ago, the sale of fish was affected due to oil mixed with seawater.

Slowly and gradually, the business of fisheries resumed and fish of all varieties was declared harmless. Now, there appears no harm in the consumption of chicken meat.

One of the consumers of chicken meat was heard saying: "when the government is silent there is no harm in chicken".

Courtesy Business Recorder