ISLAMABAD: Based on concerns over the high prices of poultry products in the recent past, the Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) has concocted a search and inspection of two major poultry feed producers of the country.
The CCP said that they have recovered evidence of their suspected involvement in collusive activities and price-fixing. The commission carried out the raid exercising its powers under Section 34 of the Competition Act 2010.
According to sources, the teams simultaneously carried the inspections at the offices of two major poultry feed producers in Rawalpindi and in Lahore to determine their collusive behavior in the market.
The recovered material showed that the prices of broiler feed witnessed an increase of over Rs 550 per bag of 50kg during the period of around last 18 months, whereas the average increase in prices of layer feed was over Rs530 per 50kg bag during the same period.
the issue was brought to CCP notice by public complaints that the prices of broiler chicken (farm) had increased by more than 100 percent from Rs103 per kg to Rs225 per kg, the sources added.
The CCP conducted an initial inquiry from the data obtained from the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) during the same period and the link between the increase in feed prices and the product prices were inferred.
Upon receipt of the complaints, an informal survey of poultry sheds was carried out. It was noted that feed was sold in 50 kg bags and there are a number of varieties depending on the type of poultry.
