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Poultry farmers suffer huge losses due to windstorm

* Poultry price expected to double
* Eggs’ price already up by 13%

By Tanveer Sher

KARACHI: The poultry industry in Sindh has suffered massive financial losses in the wake of winds and widespread rains on Saturday, which may push the price of poultry products to unprecedented levels for consumers.

Huge losses in terms of death of millions of poultry birds and destruction of poultry farms and shed houses used for keeping poultry birds, was confined not only to Karachi and based on estimates, more than 15 lac square feet area used for poultry farming in the province, either perished or faced massive destruction. Poultry birds, usually kept in covered pens suffered even more severe losses as structures collapsed on top of them.

Presenting an analysis of financial losses suffered by the poultry traders, Abdul Maroof Siddiqui, Central Convener, Pak Poultry Association told Daily Times that the true picture of the losses that have accrued to the poultry industry would emerge after a week.

However, based on initial estimates, financial losses of traders run into millions of rupees as poultry farms all over Sindh, especially those located in the close proximity of coastal areas as Karachi, Sajawal, Thatta, Badin and Hub Chowki have reported losses of birds and physical infrastructure.

Replying to a question he apprehended that as a result of death of millions of poultry birds, there might be a massive shortage of poultry meat in Karachi and other parts of the province that and due this the price of poultry products may double pushing them beyond the reach of the public.

Responding to another question, he said large scale devastation of poultry farms has already pushed price of eggs up to Rs 1020 from Rs 900 for a carton of 30 dozen eggs, an increase of 13 percent.

Replying to a question, Maroof Siddiqui ruled out the possibility of meeting the poultry shortage in Sindh by transporting poultry birds from upcountry saying that other provinces are already facing a shortage poultry meat owing to sizzling heat which lashed all three provinces for more than a fortnight killing millions of poultry birds.

He said that investment in the poultry trade is around Rs 82 billion in the country and poultry business in Sindh has, on initial reports, suffered losses around Rs 65-70million due to rains

He said some 13,000 leading breeders are catering to the customers in all four provinces with a total production of more than 4.9 million birds, including commercial broiler and layer (with a ratio 12:1) per annum.

Sindh contributes 25 percent of the country’s production and NWFP is the principle parents’ breeder in the country due to suitable climate.

He said that the poultry association is preparing a report to access the damages caused by rains in Sindh.

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