ISLAMABAD - Chairman Pakistan Poultry Association (PPA) Dr Hassan Sarosh Monday said that the recent hike in poultry products prices was temporary and rates would gradually come down by mid of April 2014.
"The weather is expected to get better and there are high chances that the gap between demand and supply would reduce, hence result in fall of chicken prices in the open market," Sarosh told APP while commenting on the increasing poultry products.
It is pertinent to mention that the price of live chicken in the retail market has reached Rs 175 per kilo in the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi.
He said the poultry industry suffered a lot during last one and a half years due to over-production, so farmers had to face loss due to which they closed down their poultry farms resulting in shortage of the product.
Sarosh said less production resulted in less supply and consequently it could not cater to the market demands and resulted in price hike.
Chairman PPA said, as the farmers are again coming back to the industry, the production would increase and problem of demand and supply would be resolved to streamline prices.
Replying to a question on the egg prices, Dr Hassan said that the winter season has prolonged due to recent rains, which resulted in high demand of the eggs.
On the occasion, Secretary General, PPA Dr Bashir Mahmood said that because of the bad market situation, poultry prices rose in capital city.
He said that current energy crisis in the country also contributed in low production, adding the rise in prices of poultry feeds and medicines also affected the chicken rates in last couple of years.
Replying to a question, he said that all the matters to be resolved with the consultation of all stakeholder and "we would consult the government in this regard."