Who’s smuggling our cows?

After showing concern over the increase in prices of beef and mutton, the National Price Monitoring Committee has directed the Ministry of Food Security to suggest measure in consultation with Federal Board of Revenue and Ministry of Interior to control livestock smuggling to neighbouring countries.
The meeting of the committee was held under the chairmanship of Special Secretary Finance and attended by the representatives from Punjab, Balochistan, Khyber Pakhthunkhwa, Islamabad Capital Territory, and Ministry of Planning and Development, Ministry of Industries, Ministry of Commerce, Food Security Division, Interior Division, Cabinet Division, Pakistan Bureau of Statistics and Federal Board of Revenue.
The committee also directed that while issuing the export license the route and quantity should be identify to ensure satiability in domestic price. The meeting also stressed for establishing more storages facilities by the provincial governments to minimize the wastage of perishable food items as well as expediting the revival of palm oil development project to save foreign exchange on import of edible oil.
The committee reviewed the price trend of 28 selected items among the provinces and noted some variations in the prices of wheat, rice basmati broken, rice irri-6, pulses, beef, mutton, egg, milk fresh, milk powdered, ghee, onions, tomato and garlic. It was noted with concern that prices of most items in Balochistan were higher as compared to other provinces. The meeting emphasized for better market intelligence between the provinces and directed Ministry of Food Security to bring a workable plan in consultation with the provinces for sharing the market intelligence to address the price disparity.
The meeting reviewed the Consumer Price Index (CPI), Food, Non-Food, Core, Wholesale Price index (WPI) and Sensitive Price Index (SPI) to measures the changes in prices. The SPI recorded an increase of 0.28 percent of the week ended on 15th March, 2012. It was observed that out of 53 items, prices of 25 items registered increase while prices of 05 items decreased and prices of 23 items remain unchanged as compared to last week ended on 8-3-2012, where prices of 31 items increased, prices of 07 items decreased and prices of 15 items remain unchanged. The prices which registered increase were Tomatoes by 28.79 percent, Rice (Basmati) broken 2.93 percent, Gram Pulse 1.55 percent, Sugar 0.92 percent, Vegetable Ghee (Loose) 0.74 percent, Wheat Flour 0.67 percent and Mash Pulse 0.30 percent. The items which recorded decrease in their prices were Garlic 3.93 percent, Chicken Farm 3.34 percent, Egg (Farm) 2.94 percent, Onion 1.50 percent and Potatoes 0.76 percent. While prices of Mutton, Milk Powdered NIDO, Cooking Oil (Tin), Vegetable Ghee (Tin), Electric Charges, Gas Charges up to 100M³, Petrol, Diesel and Kerosene remain unchanged. It was also observed that in comparison with the regional countries, Pakistan is the lowest in prices of Wheat, Wheat Flour, Rice, Sugar, Chicken Farm and 2nd lowest in Beef, Garlic and Petrol while prices of Pulses, Mutton, Eggs, Potatoes, Red Chilies, Onion, Diesel, Tea and Urea are higher in Pakistan.