Peshawar is witnessing yet another hike in live chicken prices, leaving citizens grappling with inflation and unable to afford what was once a staple food item.
The price of live chicken has surged to Rs440 per kilogramme, significantly reducing sales as most consumers struggle to cope with the increasing costs.
Shopkeepers in the city have reported that sales have drastically fallen, with only hotel owners continuing to purchase chicken in bulk. "Due to inflation, buying chicken has become impossible for ordinary citizens," remarked a local shopkeeper.
Consumers have expressed their frustration with the constant rise in prices. Many have noted that the current economic situation has made it challenging for them to purchase basic necessities, including chicken, which was once affordable for most households.
Meanwhile, the Lahore High Court heard a case related to the pricing mechanism for chicken meat. Justice Sajid Mehmood Sethi presided over the hearing of a miscellaneous application filed by the Pakistan Poultry Association, which called for a regulated system to control chicken prices in Punjab.
The court has issued notices to all relevant parties and requested their responses to several petitions. The hearing highlighted the lack of an official mechanism to regulate the cost of chicken meat, leaving the market vulnerable to unpredictable price fluctuations.
As prices continue to soar in major cities like Peshawar, consumers are calling for government intervention to address the inflationary pressure on essential food items such as chicken. The court's ruling on the pricing mechanism in Punjab could potentially have broader implications for price controls across the country.
