Price of chicken meat in Punjab increases by Rs73 per kg ahead of Ramzan

• Price of chicken meat jacks up by Rs73 per kilogramme in Punjab.
• Chicken meat was sold for Rs334 per kilogramme last week.
  
• Punjab government working on special Ramzan package.
  

Amid inflation and Ramzan around the corner, the price of chicken meat has increased by Rs73 in Punjab to settle at Rs407 per kilogramme, reported The News on Tuesday.

Over the course of the last week, chicken meat was sold for Rs334/kg. However, with the fresh increase the essential commodity will now be sold for more than 400/kg in Punjab.

Although the Punjab government is working on a special Ramzan package, it is expected that essential edible items such as fresh fruits, vegetables, pulses, and chicken meat will be sold at lower prices in the province's 317 special bazaars that will be set up throughout the holy month.

Officials preparing the "package" told the The News that it was already decided that price of chicken meat would be decreased by Rs10/kg in the Ramzan bazaars. 

On the other hand, market sources believe that the price might touch Rs500/kg at the start of Ramzan. They argued that almost Rs10/kg daily increase in chicken meat prices was seen in the last week. 

Even, if you review the fortnightly prices of chicken meat, it has witnessed an increase of almost Rs90/kg. If the increasing trend persists then the price would cross Rs500/kg, said the sources.

Contrary to market sentiments, Pakistan Poultry Association — North Zone Chairman Dr Abdul Karim said the increase in poultry meat prices was a seasonal demand-supply phenomenon. 

"Pre-Ramzan chicken meat prices are always high due to the wedding season, which starts declining in Ramzan as demand reduces. Since poultry meat is a perishable product, the supply could not be altered in a short span to manipulate the market. The poultry farmers could not hold the supply once a bird was ready as it causes a much bigger loss than profit," Karim told The News.