LAHORE: People in Lahore are still experiencing increased prices of food items including chicken and eggs because commercial vendors overlook the official rates of essential food items. Throughout the different areas of the city consumers are paying much higher prices for chicken, meat and eggs even though the government-fixed prices.
Despite official price controls, chicken meat and eggs were sold at higher rates in Lahore on Sunday. The official price for chicken meat was set at Rs595 per kg, while live chicken was priced at Rs411 per kg. Similarly, the official rate for farm eggs was Rs286 per dozen.
However, in many areas, shopkeepers ignored these prices and sold a dozen eggs for Rs290. Chicken meat was sold at inflated rates ranging between R650 and ₹700 per kg, forcing consumers to pay extra. The overpricing continues despite government regulations, causing frustration among the public.
However twin cities are also experiencesing a significant rise in chicken prices. The price hike occurred just before Eid, putting extra financial pressure on consumers during the holy month of Ramadan.
The current market prices for wholesale chicken reach Rs19,600 per maund while retailers sell live chicken at Rs590 per kg throughout Punjab including Rawalpindi and Islamabad. Retail shops now charge more than Rs1,000 per kilogram for chicken meat thus making it among the most expensive proteins available in Pakistan.
