World | Pakistan
Sale of poultry slumps to all-time low
Colourful strands of kite paper waves in the breeze from the chicken coops into which it has been woven.
- By Kamila Hyat, Correspondent
- Published: 23:32 May 3, 2009
Lahore: Colourful strands of kite paper waves in the breeze from the chicken coops into which it has been woven.
Pinned onto the now empty coops themselves are kites of various shapes and sizes, while in another lie balls of multi-coloured string. Business seems to be roaring, and Dilawar seems like a happy man.
"I was quite despondent when people first stopped buying chicken," he explained, "But now it seems this whole bird flu thing has been a blessing for me."
Dilawar is making more from his kite business than he did from the sale of chickens, and he hopes that by the time the ban on kite flying once more goes into place, on March 15, he will have earned enough to last him for the month by then the avian flu crisis is expected to start receding.
With sales of poultry having slumped to an all time low, and prices having halved or fallen even further, many sellers of broiler chickens in the city have decided there is no point attempting to continue.
Broilers, the battery-reared hens seen almost everywhere in the city, are a popular form of meat with the mass breeding seen over the past two decades having made them increasingly affordable. However, with the avian flu scare now having taken firm hold across the country, and new rumours flying daily, no one seems ready to risk eating the chickens.
In response, some sellers have brought in stocks of 'desi' (free range) hens, which they argue are less susceptible to the bird flu virus than their poultry-farm reared cousins. Others have packed up their business altogether for the moment, with some selling toys, small tropical fish for aquariums or even plastic bowls, plates etc for household use.
Meanwhile, when the government continues to maintain that there is no evidence of avian flu in the province, people remain sceptical. As always, trust for authority is low and many fear the truth may be kept hidden, partially under pressure from the powerful poultry-breeding lobby which also suffered massive losses last time the virus-scare struck.
Poultry items have been pulled off menus, within homes, at restaurants and also at weddings where chicken is usually a staple. Caterers report demand from more and more customers not to serve chicken, and maintain the panic has spread after it was widely announced that no poultry items would be served to President George W. Bush during his visit to Pakistan.
Curiously, sellers also report that not only chicken, but even chicken-flavoured items, such as potato crisps, are being left untouched on shelves. Beef and mutton of all kind are, meanwhile, in short supply at shops, with families, hotels and other businesses placing large advance orders and many believe the crisis is set to continue for several weeks until the global epidemic finally begins to fade away with the changing of the season, and people feel safe in enjoying the chicken tikkas that form a central part of the country's cuisine.
Curiously, sellers also report that not only chicken, but even chicken-flavoured items, such as potato crisps, are being left untouched.
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