QUETTA:
A sharp surge in chicken prices in the wake of Eidul Fitr celebrations has intensified inflationary pressures in Quetta, leaving middle-income households struggling to afford even basic food items.
In just three days, the price of chicken meat has increased by nearly Rs150 per kilogram, raising alarm among consumers already burdened by high food costs.
According to the latest market figures, cleaned chicken is now being sold at Rs750 per kg, with prices reaching as high as Rs780 in some areas. Live chicken is also being sold at around Rs500 to Rs510 per kg.
The increase comes at a time when mutton is already priced between Rs2,400 and Rs2,500 per kg, while beef ranges from Rs1,400 to Rs1,600 per kg, further straining household budgets.
Shopkeepers and poultry dealers attribute the hike to rising costs at the farm level, including higher feed prices, increased transportation charges and a surge in demand due to Eid.
The price hike has triggered strong reactions from citizens.
A middle-income resident, Muhammad Bakhsh, said mutton and beef had long been out of reach, while chicken had remained the only relatively affordable option.
“Mutton and beef have been beyond our reach for years. Chicken used to be affordable enough to cook once or twice a week, but now even that has become a dream for a retired person or a salaried employee. One now has to think twice before buying even a kilo of chicken,” he said.
A housewife expressed similar concerns, saying that even during Eid, families were struggling to provide better meals for their children.
“We wanted to prepare something special for our children during Eid, but now we are left with just basic meals like lentils and bread. The government should immediately control prices,” she said.
Citizens have urged the district administration and provincial government to intervene immediately, calling for strict market checks to curb profiteering, action against hoarding, and measures to stabilise supply, including imports if necessary.
A district administration official acknowledged receiving complaints and said monitoring teams were active in the field, though no major action has yet been reported.
Experts say the poultry sector is under pressure due to rising costs of feed, electricity and transportation, while demand typically increases by 30 to 40 per cent during Eid. However, they noted that this year’s price hike has been unusually sharp.
Most citizens are demanding that the government adopt a sustained strategy to control the prices of essential commodities, not just during Eid but on a permanent basis, to ease the burden on low- and middle-income groups.
