Chicken prices skyrocket across Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: The price of chicken has skyrocketed across Pakistan, reaching as high as Rs740 per kilogram for chicken meat and Rs440 per kg for live chicken in some cities.

The consumers are facing a severe crisis as the poultry prices have increased by up to Rs100 per kilogram in a month. The traders blame the increase on the high demand and low supply of chicken, especially during the winter and wedding season. The district administrations claim that they are taking action against the profiteers, but the results are not visible yet.

The inflation rate in the country has reached a record level of 44.2 per cent, adding to the woes of the common people.

Like other cities of the country, Peshawar witnessed a continuous rise in the price of chicken meat. The chicken that was sold for Rs330 per kilogram in the provincial capital reached Rs430 per kilogram, and there is a fear of further increase in the prices due to winter and wedding season.

Market sources said that the price of chicken meat per kilogram has increased by up to Rs100 in a month.

On the other hand, the price of chicken meat in Lahore reached Rs620 per kilogram, while the eggs were being sold for Rs400 per kilogram.

In Islamabad, the chicken meat was being sold for Rs715 and live chickn for Rs440. The eggs were being sold for Rs440 per dozen in the federal capital.

Lahore witnesses surge in chicken, egg prices

In the second week of the new year, the inflation rate also increased, and the prices of 21 items went up. In the second week of 2024, the inflation genie remained out of control, and the pace of increase in the inflation rate in the country remained high.

The weekly inflation rate increased by 1.36 percent, while the annual inflation rate also reached a record level of 44.2 percent.

According to the weekly inflation report issued by the Federal Bureau of Statistics, the prices of 21 items increased during a week, while the prices of 8 items decreased, and the prices of 22 essential items remained stable.

According to the issued statistics, during the recent one week, many items, including tomatoes, chicken, eggs, onions, matches, and pulses, became expensive.

Among them, the price of tomatoes increased by 15.63 percent, the price of chicken by 6.42 percent, the price of eggs by 4.31 percent, the price of lentils by 0.83 percent, the price of chickpeas by 2.11 percent, the price of onions by 8.94 percent, the price of LPG by 2.29 percent, and the price of fish by 2.56 percent.

According to the report, during a week, the price of potatoes decreased by 5.92 percent, the price of mung beans by 0.06 percent, the prices of cooking oil by 0.17 percent, while the prices of vegetable ghee by 0.29 percent, the price of mustard oil by 0.26 percent, the price of garlic by 0.13 percent, and the prices of sugar by 0.43 percent.