LAHORE - The government has increased quarantine rates on export of one-day old chick from Rs15 per box of 100 chicks to Rs200 per box while on table eggs it was increased from Rs.250 to Rs.400 per case of eggs, which will affect the exports of poultry industry that are already very limited due to multiple reasons.
Pakistan Poultry Association NZ chairman Dr Muhammad Mustafa Kamal said that the export of table eggs to Afghanistan will suffer adversely and ultimately poultry sector and national economy will face its consequence. He appealed to the government to withdraw the notification issued by the Ministry of National Food and Research regarding increase of quarantine rates, otherwise export of poultry sector will completely be closed.
He said that poultry sector of Pakistan is making a tremendous contribution in bridging the gap between supply and demand of animal protein requirements. With the continuous depletion of supply of red meat, poultry is the cheapest available animal protein for the masses as constitutes 35-40 percent of total meat production in the country hence an effective check upon the spiraling animal protein prices. Poultry sector is one of the largest agro based segment of Pakistan having an investment of Rs.700 Billion. It is worth mentioning here that despite all constraining factors the growth rate of this sector is 10% to 12% per annum.
Since it is tremendously growing and therefore it has proved to be the major stumbling block in price increase of red meat.