The long march of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) is harming livestock and dairy products in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, notably in Peshawar, where meat and poultry prices increased due to a scarcity of animals from Punjab.
Lala Kala cattle market on major GT Road in Peshawar’s outskirts, formerly filled with buffaloes, cows, oxen, goats and sheep, was nearly abandoned owing to paucity of animals’ supply from Punjab due to PTI lengthy march that ruined local livestock industry.
Cow, oxen, and buffalo meat was sold for Rs700 per kg, minced meat for Rs800, and chicken for Rs270 after the PTI long march.
Ibrahim Khan, a cattle dealer from Nowshera, claimed he used to buy cows in Punjab to make more money locally. Since the PTI’s long march began, “I can’t move livestock from Punjab to Peshawar’s market because to GT and link road restrictions,” hurting his family’s business. “Before Imran Khan’s lengthy march, a 350 kg buffalo was sold for Rs 140,000 to Rs150,000, but now its costs have jumped to Rs170,000 to Rs180,000 in the local market,” he added, adding that local merchants had boosted domestic livestock prices due to a lack of animals from Punjab.
Mosa Khan, a cow trader from Pabbi Tehsil Nowshera, used to travel Gondal, Gujrat, Sahiwal, and Lala Mosa to buy animals owing to strong profit margins but hasn’t been able to since Friday due to Imran Khan’s lengthy march. My spouse prolonged his stay in Sahiwal owing to the GT Road shutdown and lack of public transit, he stated.
Before the PTI long march, a loader truck driver asked Rs 20,000, but he now refuses Rs 25,000. Mosa Khan claimed animal feed costs rose after the lengthy march. Previously, 1 kilogram of beef in Peshawar cost Rs 600, but it’s now Rs 700, beyond the reach of the average person.
Adnan Khan, a butcher in Peshawar, said high meat costs drove down demand. “Most clients enquire about meat pricing and go empty-handed,” he added, adding that the shop’s rent, energy, and labor costs are covered by wedding and family slaughtering.
Punjabi dealers were observed wandering Ring Road, Bacha Khan Chowk, and Charsadda Road cattle markets, affecting the availability of animals.
Pakistan Muslim League-N spokesperson Ikhtiar Wali Khan claimed Imran Niazi’s long march and agitation politics hurt cattle and transit in KP.
He claimed PTI’s aimless protests hurt KP’s impoverished cattle and dairy producers. Who would be accountable for the tremendous economic loss of dairy and livestock producers if their poultry and animals died due to traffic blockages in Punjab?
He claimed Imran Khan was squandering energy on an aimless long march to save face after his corrupt activities were revealed in the Tosha Khana case, leaving farmers and livestock owners in flood-hit KP and Punjab alone.
Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has announced a historic Kisan package for farmers, agricultural and livestock producers across Pakistan, especially KP, and those impacted by recent floods.
He claimed the prime minister earned the hearts and minds of hundreds of thousands of Pakistani farmers by unveiling a historic Kisan package.
Wali said Rs 1,800 billion in agricultural loans and a Rs 30 billion subsidy on urea fertilizers will be offered to farmers and agriculture producers under the PM’s historic package, which was praised by everybody, particularly farmers.
There also has been a minor increase in poultry prices in Punjab, as the chicken rate today is 366 PKR with a 6 rupees increase from yesterday.
In addition to reducing the price of DAP urea by Rs 2500 per bag and waiving import duty on used tractors, he announced Rs 5 billion in interest-free loans for landless peasants/farmers and 1.2 million bags of wheat seeds for farmers in flood-affected areas, sparking jubilation among farmers and agriculture community.
He said interest-free loans to convert 300,000 tube-wells to solar energy and Rs 50 billion loans on easy terms and conditions for youth would bring agriculture revolution in the country, adding the PM’s historic Kisan package would provide relief to hundreds of thousands of flood-affected KP farmers.
Sahibzada Hamaza Khan, district Nowshera PML-N KP President, said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif deserves all praise and admiration for releasing the milestone package for farmers and agricultural growers.
He said providing cheap gas to urea manufacturers and fixing power costs at Rs13 per unit will boost wheat, rice, and other crop output.
PML-N leader stated KP’s impoverished farmers, livestock and agricultural producers desired solutions to their long-inherited issues, hence they avoided PTI’s pointless march. He thought democracy will solve the country’s issues.
