Punjab ends chicken meat rates fixation

LAHORE:The Punjab government in a major decision has ended the chicken meat price fixation regime across the province and left it to the market while now onwards only live chicken rates would be fixed by the government.

The government was facing serious criticism on non-implementation of official rates which has been exposing the weakest governance mechanism. Further, the rates of the chicken meat and live chicken have not been changing for the last more than six weeks against the basic economic rules demand and supply to derive the price. This also exposed the ‘strong nexus’ of mafia managing the rates.

The decision was made in the 6th meeting of the Price Control Council. According to an order dated April 04, 2025, Director General (Research) Provincial Controller General Prices, to all the deputy commissioners/ Controller general prices and supplies at District Level working in the Punjab stated that ‘in pursuance of the decision made in the 6th meeting of the Price Control Council constituted under Section 3 on the Punjab Price Control of Essential Commodities Act 2024, the Council to exercise Powers and Function under Section 4 of the Act ibid and Price Control and Commodities Department, Government of Punjab letter No SO(COMM)2-15-2025 dated 28-3-2025, on the subject, it is circulated to adopt practice of notifying only live chicken rates across the Punjab instead of notifying live and meat both rates, please’.

However, the issue of implementation of the rate list didn’t resolve even after ending the chicken meat fixation regime as the sellers refuse to sell live chicken at the shops. They claimed that the weight of live chicken reduced after it put in the cage at the shops. The broiler chicken has been produced and kept in the temperature-controlled environments. It has started losing the weight once brought out to the markets from the controlled sheds. Even the almost 1.5 to 2 percent (one and half kg to 2 kg per 100 kg) weight is lost from moving live chicken during the transportation from Farm gate to the different markets. It has further lost when the sellers purchased from the suppliers and kept whole day in the cages at the shops. The weight loss is high in summer as compared to the winter due to weather harshness while chicken is kept at low temperature-controlled environments.

The chicken meat sellers claimed that live chicken lost almost 2 to 3 percent weight in a day while kept in the cage. For instance, one seller has purchased 100kg live chicken and sold it official rates till evening, he will incur straight loss of minimum 2.5 kilogram due to weight loss. In such scenario how one seller can sustain and keep doing the business? —Jawwad Rizvi