Feed crisis: Chicken meat likely to become more expensive than beef

Inflation continues to rise in the country and the price of chicken meat in the capital Islamabad on Tuesday reached Rs 650 per kg.

Traders and poultry farmers have warned that chicken meat availability at relatively low prices may become scarce and if the feed crisis continues, chicken meat may soon cost as expensive as beef.

According to the reports, the price of chicken meat can reach more than Rs 800 per kg or almost equal to red meat, while live broiler chicken is being sold for up to Rs 370 per kg in Islamabad.

In Karachi, chicken meat prices also saw a humungous increase. As reported, chicken meat is currently being sold at Rs 600 to 700 per KG.

On the other hand, Pakistan Poultry Association (PPA) and the All Pakistan Solvent Extractors Association (APSEA) have threatened that if the government does not immediately accept their demands to save these two industries from destruction. So a protest will be held in Lahore, the capital of Punjab, tomorrow and Thursday.

Poultry product prices began to rise sharply in October 2022 after customs authorities halted shipments of GMO soybeans, which come mostly from the US and Brazil.

Nine shipments have been stuck at the port so far due to legal issues and the situation has not improved despite the intervention of a top US diplomat.

Import of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) and its products are not allowed in the country as Pakistan is a signatory of the Global Campaign Against GMO Seeds.

Food Minister Tariq Bashir Cheema recently told a panel of the National Assembly that Pakistan only allows the import of non-GMO soybeans.

He claimed that the US representative urged him for simultaneous clearance of the stranded soybean ships at Karachi port.

For those unserved, the use of soybeans is an important and key component of poultry feed.

Amid shortages due to ‘illegal shipments’, feed mills in the country are unable to meet rising demand, resulting in a steep rise in feed prices, with the price of 50 kg chicken feed rising to Rs 2,000 in just 3 months. After the increase of Rs., it has now reached Rs.7000.

On the other hand, important people associated with the industry also criticized the role of hatchery plants and feed mills due to the rising prices of chicken.