Poultry, banana prices increase in markets

MANSEHRA: The prices of poultry and banana have jumped to a record high ever before Eidul Fitr as the former is being sold at Rs305 per kg and the latter at Rs200 per dozen in the local markets.

“This is the second highest ever record price of the chicken within a week as earlier its price increased to Rs280 per kg and now to Rs305 per kg in the local markets,” stated Mohammad Azam, a poultry dealer.

He said that the price of the chicken should be reduced drastically as the hotel industry is almost closed and marriage ceremonies are also halted because of the novel coronavirus pandemic in the country but the price of chicken surged to an ever high. “The chicken is illegally being exported to the neighbouring Afghanistan, which has caused such a mammoth surge in its price,” Azam said.

Mohammad Jamshaid, a buyer, said that because of the high chicken price there was no massive rush, as expected, to its shops in the city and its suburbs on a day or two before Eid.

“The provincial government should adopt such a mechanism under which the daily prices of the poultry products including chicken should be fixed locally instead of Rawalpindi and Lahore,” said Jamshaid.

The price of bananas also jumped to a record high in the history of the district as it is being sold at Rs200 per dozen despite being small in size and also it is mostly unripe nowadays.