The recent surge in chicken prices has been attributed to a severe shortage of chicks, the backbone of the poultry industry.

According to reports, the price of chicks had already risen significantly, but now even expensive chicks are unavailable in the market. In Punjab, the price of chicks has reached an all-time high.

Reports claim that the monopoly of private companies has made chicks both expensive and scarce. Without a reduction in chick prices, a decrease in chicken meat prices seems unlikely. Many poultry farms have been unable to procure new chicks for several days, raising concerns about the impact on future chicken supplies.

In Lahore, chicken meat prices have risen further, reaching Rs. 700 per kilogram, while the official rate remains at Rs. 595 per kilogram. Meanwhile, farmers’ demands to reduce poultry feed prices have been rejected. In a recent meeting, the feed committee decided to maintain the current feed prices, despite a drop in soybean prices.

Farmers had requested a reduction in feed prices, citing a decrease in soybean costs. Soybean, a key ingredient in poultry feed, saw its price drop by Rs. 50, falling from Rs. 230 per kilogram to Rs. 180 per kilogram. However, despite this decline, feed prices have not been adjusted.