LAHORE: Poultry traders on Thursday deferred their ongoing strike in view of the upcoming Eid and the increasing public demand.

However, they decided to file a writ petition in the Lahore High Court soon after Eid against the government for capping the alive chicken and meat prices, ignoring the mechanism of rates based on demand and supply.

“We believe that our strike, which started on Wednesday remained successful, as no trader and retail outlet had chicken to sell. This happened after we did not purchase chicken from farms against the government’s move to cap price at the rate of Rs260 per kilo (chicken meat) that costs us at Rs390 per kilo. Moreover, the government also targeted the traders by getting them arrested in a bid to force them to sell chicken at the rate of Rs260 that is not at all viable,” Lahore Poultry Traders Association President Tariq Javed explained while talking to Dawn.

“On Wednesday and Thursday, there were reports that some retailers sold chicken at the rate of Rs350 per kilo since there were no supplies from wholesalers to retailers.””Why the government is harassing and pressurising us to sell chicken meat at the rate of Rs260. Where the government was when the chicken was being sold at the rate of Rs160 per kilo. Why the government doesn’t reduce cost on poultry production,” Mr Javed questioned.

“We may resume strike after Eid holidays if the government does not stop to cap the poultry prices,” he warned.

Published in Dawn, May 22nd, 2020