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ISLAMABAD: The National Price Monitoring Committee on Monday noted that the prices of meat and mutton were constantly increasing due to rampant smuggling of livestock out of the country.
The committee also reviewed the stock position of sugar and expressed satisfaction as these were sufficient for until the next crushing season.The committee was chaired Secretary Finance Dr Waqar Masood and representatives from the provincial governments, Planning and Development Division, Ministry of Industries, Commerce, Animal Quarantine Department, Federal Board of Revenue, Federal Bureau of Statistics, Islamabad Capital Territory and Trading Corporation of Pakistan attended the meeting.
The committee was informed that there was no fresh exportable surplus and the exports had been stopped since May 2011, however, the officials told that smuggling of livestock animal was taking place, which is exerting pressure on the prices.
It was decided with consensus that the export procedures related to export of livestock should be properly streamlined as well as exportable surplus assessment be made and only those be allowed to export who have valid export licence based on demand specifically mentioning the details and route of the export as well as meeting Quarantine SOPS.The meeting reviewed the prices of essential baskets items including tomato, potato, onion, garlic, chicken, meat, mutton, wheat flour, sugar etc.
It was noted that out of 53 items, prices of 21 items increased while prices of 10 items decreased whereas prices of 22 items remained unchanged on the week ended on October 13, 2011. Items including onion, potato, beef, mutton, red chillies registered increase in their prices.
The committee observed that different prices were being charged for same commodity. The floods disrupted the supply chain in Sindh but there was continuous supply of onion, tomato, potato from the neighbouring countries, but the prices of these items need to be monitored regularly.
The provincial representatives were requested to expand extra efforts in regulating the prices through price control committees and ensuring better coordination among different departments of the provinces.
The committee selected 28 items for regular price monitoring by the provincial government who will report to NPMC regularly.
The international food and fuel prices were also reviewed and committee noted that there is a decreasing trend in the prices of sugar by 5.5pc, wheat 8.3pc, tea 7.4pc, palm oil 1.8pc and soybean oil 2.8pc between July 2011 and September 2011 and it may bring some respite in the domestic prices.
