Kabul residents complain about chicken meat price hike

KABUL (Pajhwok):  Residents of Kabul are complaining about increased chicken meat price compared to last month and are asking the government to control it, while officials say 80 percent of poultry farms in the country currently do not have chickens.

Pajhwok Afghan News reported a month ago the price of one kilogram of chicken meat was 220 afghanis, but now it has increased to 320 afghanis.

Residents’ opinion

Mahmood, a resident of Kabul who had come to buy chicken from Chicken Market Alley in Shahr-e-Naw, told Pajhwok the price of chicken meat has been rising for about a month, but he does not know why the price has increased.

According to him, he used to buy a kilo of chicken breast for 220afs, but today he bought it for 320afs.

He asked officials to pay attention to reducing the chicken meat price because most people are finically incapable to buy it.

Meanwhile, Ahmad, another resident, complained about the surge in price of chicken meat and called for its control.

Previously, he bought a kilo of chicken meat, including legs, breasts and other for 180afs, but now it has surged to 280afs, he added.

Chicken meat sellers

Syed Fahim, a chicken meat seller in Kolula Poshta area, explained the price of chicken meat had increased since July 5.

According to him, the price of chicken meat has increased by 100 afs per kilogram.

Regarding the reason for the increase in chicken meat price, he claimed: “Chickens are being sold out on farms and when the farm is over, prices went up. Prices increase two to three times a year, but then prices fall again”.

He urged the Islamic Emirate to establish state-owned chicken farms to keep prices under control.

Kochai, another chicken seller in Qasabi Alley, added he would sell a kilo of chicken for 220afs, but now he was selling a kilo for 320afs.

Kochai believed the rise in chicken meat price was due to the shortage of chicks in poultry farms, but explained: “Some farmers who suffered during the winter are now trying to make a profit”.

He sells about 100 kilos of chicken meat daily, while a month ago he was selling nearly 250 kilos of chicken meat.

He asked the government to determine the selling price of chicken meat for farmers so that prices can be controlled.

80pc of farms do not have chicks

Dr. Wasim Safi, chairman of the executive board for Afghanistan Chamber of Agricultural and Livestock Production, confirmed the increase in poultry prices and said six months ago, the price of poultry meat reached about 90 afghanis per kilogram due to the huge increase of chicks on farms, which had severely affected farmers.

This situation continued several times, and farmers suffered losses and were unable to buy and raise chickens again, he explained.

Currently, 80 percent of chicken farms in the country do not have chicks to raise, leading to an increase in its price.

“While the market demand has increased, farms do not have chicks to raise and re-sell to the public, which is why the price of chicken meat has increased”.

According to him, to prevent the price of meat from increasing in the market, chicks imported from abroad should be imported based to the capacity and needs of each farm, and the farmers should raise them.

hz/ma