KARACHI, Feb 4: The sale of live poultry bird has declined sharply by 50 to 60 per cent owing to bird flu scare, and on Monday poultry stakeholders made a sharp cut in prices.

Caterers at the wedding lawns too have complained about 60 to 90 per cent drop in orders for chicken-related dishes as many families have changed the menu to beef from chicken for their Saturday’s receptions.

Retailers are waiting for buyers, but there are few. Even their cages are either half empty or there are 25 per cent live birds. They are now openly offering further discount in prices to attract consumers.

However, two associations dealing in poultry have issued different rates.

The Pakistan Poultry Association (PPA) announced the retail rate of Rs58 per kg on Tuesday as compared to Rs70 on Saturday, while the Karachi Wholesalers’ Poultry Association (KWPA) has quoted the rate at Rs50 per kg for live bird, as against its pre-bird flu price of Rs74.

The PPA does not issue meat rates, while the KWPA has reduced the meat rate to Rs86 a kg from Rs110.

“The daily slaughtering of white broiler has fallen to 150,000-200,000 from 350,000 to 400,000,” said general secretary of Karachi Wholesalers’ Poultry Association (KWPA), Kamal Akhtar Siddiqi, who estimated an initial loss of Rs 1 billion during the last three days owing to drop in sales and killing of birds.

Owing to a very thin demand, the association has reduced the retail rate to Rs50 per kg for broiler live bird as compared to Rs74 per kg. The meat rate will fall to Rs 80-86 per kg. The new rates will be effective from Tuesday.

On Monday, many retailers were seen selling poultry meat at Rs90-100 as compared to Rs120-130 per kg on Friday last. However, they were quoting the same broiler live bird rate at Rs70 per kg while many retailers were seen offering discount of Rs 5 per kg.

“We are not filling our cages to the fullest capacity since the demand has declined by 50 per cent,” a retailer in F B Area said, adding many people who are well aware of the situation are still purchasing the meat, but in low quantity.

Kamal said people are scared of bird flu after a positive case in a Gadap farm and because of too much media hype.

“Bad days have come for us, as consumers will now take some time to clear their perception about bird flu,” he said, adding: “I think many consumers will return to markets after four to five days if no further bird flu case was reported,” he added.

He said farmers are now clearing their stocks in markets and it was the main reason of falling prices.

Some 40 per cent of the birds, out of a total daily slaughtering, are consumed by household consumers while the share of hotels and caterers comes to 30 per cent each, he added.

Mohammad Iqbal of the Taj Catering at Block 6, Gulshan-i-Iqbal, said a majority of the people have shifted their menu from chicken to beef as compared to fish and mutton which are costly items.

With a 90 per cent decline in orders for chicken-related dishes, 10 per cent orders for chicken are destined for various receptions in Madaris and Mosques, he said, claiming that almost all the other caterers are facing the same situation in chicken orders.

Another caterer in North Nazimabad’s Block M said that orders have declined by 60-70 per cent.