Rao Dilshad Hussain

Though elected and democratic governments deliver and serve the masses all over the world yet Pakistani democratic governments appear as extensions of dictatorship. It is irony of the fate that democratic government remains busy in supporting their political activists instead of working for the welfare of poor masses.

Earlier “Sasti Roti” scheme launched by Punjab government was the worst example of nepotism, adding that 70 percent of the flour bags being provided to registered tandoors were being sold in the market. The poorly-run scheme has cost the government Rs 20 billion and the common man had not received any of the benefit of this scheme.

Similarly Dasterkhawa scheme, income support programmes established a force of advisors and task forces in the province in the name of several welfare schemes which are actually worst examples of nepotism. Sadly nothing has been achieved rather these were the ways of waste of public finances through dubious decisions of government.

Instead of taking any lesson from these flop measures, Punjab government has taken another step of establishing government owned independent meat company entitled Lahore Meat Company which would operational within weeks. Dr Hamid Jalil, Chief Executive Officer of Lahore Meat Company, said that live stock could play a vital role in country’s economy. “It is among the fastest growing sector of the country. It is one of the leading sectors that has currently 17.4 growth rate in GDP and also has the 53% share in the agricultural economy. Live stock has three major roles in the economy like firstly it ensures food security, produces protein meat and eggs, live stock is part of the rural economy because more than 37 percent rural population is associated with this business where it plays a role of emergency bank and it is also essential need of every house hold in rural areas, last but not least it can come under the category of value-added industry while having tremendous scope in terms of enhancing the foreign reserves. Sometimes it acts like a cushion and gives the instant relief to the rural families,” he elucidated.

Jalil told SPlus in fact Pakistani meat could be exported to many countries like Iran, Central Asian States, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait, Syankyank Province of China, Malaysia and Afghanistan where every Muslim wanted to have halal meat. Millions of the Pakistani buffaloes were being smuggled to the neighbouring countries where these had been using as the source of beef meat rather than milk animal. So government took this step to utilize country’s resources for the exchequer.

“With high population growth rate in the region, demand for hygienic meat is on the rise. This along with rising concerns amongst consumers related to halal practices in meat industry led to the establishment of Lahore Meat Company. The primary objective of the organization is to deliver quality meat that is 100% halal and is obtained following international standards of food safety and hygiene. Lahore Meat Company has vision to achieve tremendous grounds in the export market and emerged as one of the largest exporter of meat from Pakistan. In order to keep up with international standards company has installed state of the art slaughtering facility. The plant has been imported from Australia and is the largest private slaughtering facility in the country with capacity of 40 head per hour. Lahore Meat Company has qualified professionals to maintain its day to day affairs and also to explore new markets both local and international for the company’s products,” he explained.

While adding about the potential market of Pakistani meat he said it would integrate meat supply chain and would look after the production and processing of meat then it would be able to export. Prior it would take export orders from the regional and other countries as LMC had two huge assignments from Iran and Malaysia. Moreover LMC has also signed a contract with Iran’s Mashad Meat Company.

Besides the tall claims of government officials and members of task force welfare schemes could not give much benefit to the poor masses like Sasti rooti scheme proved a burden on exchequer. As opposition criticised PML N government for taking loans to run so called welfare schemes, “Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, an outspoken critic of loans, was forced to borrow $150 million from the Asian Development Bank. The State Bank of Pakistan also transformed an overdraft of Rs 73 billion into loans due to the province’s weak economy. As a result, the Punjab government is paying Rs 4 billion in interest every month”.

Now we can hope for better performance of Lahore Meat Company as CEO of LMC claims instead of dreadful continuation of nepotism in province again through such projects.

The use of unhealthy and unhygienic raw-material during the processing of food and drink edibles have become common practice here in Pakistan and this is happening in every food and drink producing sector both at small and large scales since many decades. But the government and state institutions could not prevent this act. Despite of having many institutions at district and provincial levels those should have to prevent these food edibles producers but they are failed to eradicate such manufacturers. This is the same going on with poultry feed and a number of unregistered vendors have been successfully running this business whether these are producing feed for animals or birds and they are not providing healthy feed besides some registered companies.

A number of local and multinational companies are producing poultry feed The poultry feed is being made by the many healthy and unhealthy ingredients including wastage of chicken, mutton and beef meat, waste rice, corn, slaughtered animals’ bones, spices, different chemicals and especially during the winter season local made wine is also injected to the broiler birds while during the summer glucose has been used feed to maintain the temperature and gaining the weight of the poultry birds within the forty days. Wine and glucose have not been given to them at large scale but after intermingling of water.

The priority of the minor-farmers of villages is just to get maximum profit through poultry farming. They always strive to produce more than two kg poultry bird with in 40 days at any cast but they have got very near to two kg per bird. They don’t care that what they are going to feed the poultry birds and because of their harmful act many diseases pass on to the human body.

Since the recent years some business men indulged in this business and a number of control Shedds have constructed and enormous are in the processing while more than twelve units are producing the feed for the poultry birds and the chance of the using the unhealthy raw-material is dwindling day by day because of emerging the latest technology in this sector.

Sunday plus talked to many doctors and farmers who are associated with the poultry sector to probe that which feed the poultry birds is required and what are they taking now a days and common diseases of poultry birds.

While talking to Sunday plus Vet-Pathologist Dr. Imtiaz Ahmed Khan told, “Because of negligence of the farmers, there are some common diseases have frequently existing like new castle (rani khait), infectious bursal (ghamgoro), hydro-pericardium syndrome (angara) avian influenza (bird flu) while avian influenza and new castle can easily transferred to human body. If someone eats uncooked or half-cooked chicken meat then avian influenza can be positive in the human body and that is too difficult to treat the affected patient here in Pakistan but in the west can be easier. New castle disease can also transferred to human body that can be harmful for the eyes and Extreme eating habits of the chicken meat can weak the eye sight gradually. Thank God Almighty while cooking at heavy-temperature bird flu does not affect but new castle does.”

On a query, he suggested, Semi-cooked can be more harmful and everybody should be ware of bar B Q dishes. In fact everybody at risk including consumers, vendor and cooks they all should take precautionary measures like wearing the gloves before treating chicken meat. Chicken should need minimum 100 to 130 centigrade then there is no virus exists. So while cooking everybody must be made sure required temperature.

“With the arrival of the newly control sheds for the poultry farming Pakistan has dwindled a number problems that poultry industry had to face a few years ago. Many feed producers are thriving on this business scientifically and now poultry feed is making with the dirtiest ingredients. But it is the duty of the government to check the control and open sheds because frequently farmers supply some weak and sick poultry birds to the markets that are carrying diseases.

“As we haven’t any other choices and everything is made by the pesticides and urea fertilizers that we have to eat just chicken meat is not responsible to spread the diseases. Six week’s man made poultry bird should not come to the market farmers should have to give more time to the birds.” Dr. Imtiaz was of the view.

Sunday Plus talked to Hamid Shakur owner of the newly constructed control sheds has told, “With construction of the environment control sheds we have over come many problems because through these sheds we can easily provide the required temperature to the birds. Everything is completed by the computerised mechanism and treat room provides the feed through machines. Workers visit the sheds but just to vet the birds during their vaccination days. Vaccination is injected just to prevent the birds from the diseases and it does not use to enhance the weight of the birds. It is nothing sans propaganda and misperception.”

On a query regarding quality of feed edibles he added, “We can get 2 kg safe poultry bird but with in 37 to 40 days but it is happened because of high protein feeding. Feed producing companies are supplying healthy feed to farmers for poultry sector. They don’t use unhealthy ingredients during the feed processing. We are looking after more than thirty thousand poultry birds same time. The environment control sheds are the good addition for the poultry industry.”

“If human body can digest the poisoned wheat, vegetables, drinks and many other contaminated food edibles while God Almighty has bestowed the most powerful digestion system to the poultry birds. So that is why they can easily digest feed that is being made by the various feed processing companies while unregistered producers in the rural areas are still manufacturing contaminated feed for the poultry industry but there are doing it at small scales.” Dr Abdul Star poultry pathologist from told said.

Vet nutritionist Dr. Shah Nawaz Rana told, commercial feed is absolutely being processing specifically according to the genetics of the birds to have good production. There are three process of feeding to the poultry birds like day one to fourteen, called pre-starter period and fifteen to twenty eight days called grower time while the third ten days called finisher feed days.”

“Now it is too convenience to get good production with in the forty days because control sheds provide required environment to the birds. After having these control sheds farmer can easily tend thousands of birds according the requirements.

“The healthy and hygienic poultry feed is persisted of ingredients like corn, tips rice and rice polishing layers, millet (bajra) sorghum, wheat bran, vegetables animals bones and meat, minor fish oil while sunflower and canola seeds play a vital role to make the feed. But if any discrepancy is left during the processing the feed then hygienic and healthy feed can also be harmful. Animal’s bones provide the phosphorus that is also helping in the growth. Registered feed processing companies are not producing unhealthy feed.

“But prior the bracing of unhealthy and unhygienic poultry feed, improper disposal of poultry waste and absence of legislation concerning feed ingredients and medication pose a serious threat to the human health. But now there is thriving systematically and complications have been vanishing gradually, Dr Shahnawaz briefed the Sunday plus regarding hygienic feed.

“On a query, he said, “if the any rural farmer uses the desi wine to maintain the temperature and for enhancing the weight of the birds that can be individual effort. But it is sure that that kind of act is not doing at large scale and control sheds owners are getting feed from the spacious companies. As well as glucose is concerned that is also given into the control sheds. So we can say that poultry is not as harm as people are discussing.

“Healthy feed, environment and breed can be brought revolution in the poultry sector. It is very sad, when people say that just poultry is the responsible to spread all the diseases. People should not targeted poultry because every food edible is full of contaminated ingredients and thriving successfully. The need of the hour to empower the poultry industry and newl technology should be introduced to enhance the quantity and then quality must be improved. Government should regulate this industry in the larger interest of the consumers and should prevent those who are providing unhealthy feed to poultry.

“During a case study about the impact of chicken meat on the human body along with Dr Slahudin Faiz, after a great effort eventually we were succeeded to find out the guy who was just 14 but having. His secret organs are growing unexpectedly when we tried to detect the facts then we had come to know that he was used to eat chicken meat extremely against his father’s wish and that is he reached puberty stage two or three years before. So chicken meat’s extreme usage can be harmful, M. Azhar khalid D.D. Wildlife said.

Price hike is a severe issue that the masses are facing right now. The major issue that the people are facing is the non availability of beef and mutton mainly because of its legal or illegal trade to Afghanistan, Iran, Saudi Arabia, UAE and many others countries. According to the sources, More than 5000 cows and goats are being exported. Hundreds of trucks of animals are being smuggled to different countries without any checks and balances. This situation has brought shortage of meat in future.

Money plus talked to one of the district officers and many butchers to expose the reasons behind the price hike. Sources confided, “More than 300 cows and approximately 5000 goats are brought for slaughtering. Government is not interrupting to fix the prices. In fact, District Coordinator Officer has the mandate to fix and revise the meat prices. But it never happened after 2006. It shows that City District Government is doing nothing while dealers and butchers are the most powerful and influential people and converted into the cartels.”

On a query about price hike sources said, “Market forces have been charging according to their own whim because there is no association of the butchers that would deal with the issues of the butchers and other market forces, as poultry industry has. For instance poultry association decides the prices of poultry products’ on a daily basis and they are committed to implement their rates and decisions in this regard. On the other hand, if we analyse the situation of butchers and local animal traders, they have failed to evolve any pressure group till date that would fix or control the prices.”

Sources said, “Beef and mutton is now selling at high prices because of City District Government’s negligence. The city government fixed the prices of beef and mutton in 2006, which means that beef should be sold at Rs.110 per kg while mutton is worth Rs.220 per kg. Right now the slaughter houses sell mutton at Rs.370 to Rs.400 and the market has been selling at Rs.410 to Rs.473. The prices of beef ranges from Rs.150 to Rs.190 but consumers are paying Rs.230-250. The meat prices should not be differed in the market. The reason behind the differential pricing is because of DCO’s negligence as he has the mandate to look into this matter and revise the prices. There is a need for revision of the prices on an annual basis.

The prices of all general commodities have increased including that of the beef and mutton due to inflation and other expenditures of cattle contractors. But currently the cost is decided by the mafia of people who set the prices. Local government should be on board in this regard. The DCO should monitor the slaughter houses across the city at least once a month. It is only then that the issues regarding mutton and beef prices can be resolved. The government has not revised the prices since last four years and has left this matter on to the market forces.

Answering to a quest, “Existing slaughterhouses are not enough for the people. They are just providing 30% of the need and the remaining 70% is brought from cities like Kasur and Muridkey. They sell the meat according to the rates set by themselves. These slaughter houses have created a mafia which is one of the major reasons behind the price hike of meat. There are all together six slaughter houses that are minting money through exporting meat and animals, two among them located in Lahore, Kasur has three while single one is in Muridkey. Sources deplorably said, “They are directly responsible for the increment of the meat prices. At that time the whole exporters promised that they would not only export meat but also establish their own cattle farming. But unfortunately they are just exporting and doing nothing in terms of animal production. That is why meat shortage is expected soon.”

Zahid Bashir, Accounts Officer of the Zenith said, “We are exporting mutton, beef and chicken to the Middle East. We have our own slaughter house and our purchasing departments buy the cattle. After slaughtering them we sell here at zenith’s outlets and export as well. At the zenith outlet mutton sells at different prices. For instance mixed mutton can be bought at Rs.435 per kg, mutton neck’s piece is available at Rs.415, and shoulder’s piece can be bought at Rs.471 per kg while the leg’s meat is available at Rs.473.”

Umer Farooq is one of the butchers of the town was very much upset because of the fluctuation in the rates everyday. Talking to money plus he said, “The prices have been changing on a daily basis. DCO is ineffective and is a silent spectator. He doesn’t care about controlling the meat smuggling. More than 70% healthy cattle are being exported without any checks.All the slaughter houses have failed to fulfill Lahore’s requirements. Government should review the export policy regarding meat.” he demanded.

If the exporters continue with the current trend of meat smuggling, the situation will further deteriorate. Right now it is the duty of the government to encourage people to get into this business. Government should provide them soft loans and give them subsidies. It is only then prices could be controlled in the near future otherwise meat will be rare commodity. So proper cattle nursing and farming is the need of the hour and Central and provincial Governments should strictly implement it’s export policies in which the exporter are being involved to evolve their own animal farms.