The poultry association on Wednesday called for a shutter-down strike in the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad against the uniform rates of chicken in Punjab. The poultry vendors halted the supply of chicken in the twin cities, while the wholesale market in Mandi Bagh Sardaran is witnessing a complete shutterdown strike until the local administration meets the demands of the poultry association. The Poultry Union spokesperson stated that in terms of pricing, wholesalers, retailers, and suppliers are on one page that they cannot sell chicken meat at a lower price than the cost. The spokesperson further stated that the sale of chicken meat will be suspended at the market until the price issue is resolved by the local authorities. In December 2022, the country is expected to see a sharp surge in the prices of chicken and egg following the soybean meal shortage.

 The prices of chicken would soar up to Rs1,000 per kilogram and eggs per dozen up to Rs500 due to soybean meal scarcity due to non-clearance of soybean and canola seed shipments at the port. The soybean and canola seed shipments are facing a delay in clearance at the port due to the negligence of the federal government, affecting the poultry farms and other industries. The Pakistan Poultry Association (PPA) and All Pakistan Solvent Extractors’ Association (APSEA) staged a protest at Karachi Press Club (KPC) today. The APSEA chairman Mian Muhammad Ahmed said that four ships carrying stocks of soybean meal reached the port.

 
Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)