Chicken prices surge to record high

MANSEHRA: Poultry prices surged to a record high in Mansehra and other parts of the province on Wednesday as live chicken sold at Rs435 per kilogram.

The Mansehra Poultry Shops Association has set the price of live broiler chicken at Rs435, which according to industry insiders, was a record high in recent months.The price of live chicken, which hovered around Rs300 per kilogram over the past couple of months, rose to Rs400 in recent days and has now reached Rs435 in Mansehra city and other cities of the province.

Locals reported that the same broiler chicken was sold for approximately Rs450 per kilogram in the Torghar and Kohistan districts.“Our sales have significantly dropped due to the sudden increase in prices,” Mohammad Azam, a chicken shop owner. He added that prices had remained stable for the past couple of months, during which sales had increased.

“We are now witnessing a significant decline in sales as the wedding season has ended in the district due to the severe cold,” Azam explained.A buyer, Mohammad Bashir, criticised the pricing system, stating that the poultry prices, despite being a product of the local industry, were controlled by wholesalers in Punjab.“Mansehra is well-known for poultry production, yet its prices are dictated by Punjab traders which is unfair to the local population,” he said.