Govt urged to curb illegal supply of chicks to Afghanistan

PESHAWAR: Poultry farmers and dealers have asked the government to take action against the illegal supply of chicks to Afghanistan via Torkham border and other transit routes.

Speaking a news conference at Peshawar Press Club on Wednesday, Poultry Association Khyber Pakhtunkhwa President Ashraf Khattak said that poultry was the second largest sector after textile industry, which provides direct and indirect employment to people as well as a source of cheapest protein.

He said the poultry sector faced many issues, particularly shortage of chicks. He said the chicks were being smuggled via Torkham border and other Khyber Pakhtunkhwa local routes to Afghanistan, creating difficulties to meet demand in the local market.

Flanked by the association office bearers, and poultry dealers, Khalid Khan, Abdul Hamid, Zahoor Ahmad and others, he claimed that around 0.5million chicks were smuggled to Afghanistan on daily basis.

Khattak said that over five million chicks were needed to fulfil the local requirements, saying poultry farmers were compelled to shut their businesses due to non-availability of chicks. It, he said, would render hundreds of people attached with this sector unemployed.

The rep feared if the smuggling of chicks was not stopped, the prices of chicken would increase by up to Rs300 per kilogram in the local market. He said the prices have increased due to a surge in the rate of fodder. "We are not against the export of chicks to Afghanistan but the local requirement should be fulfilled first," he said.