KARACHI: The prices of milk, meat, chicken and eggs are bound to increase sharply in the coming days as the torrential rains and flash flood have caused a colossal loss to the livestock sector killing over 45,000 animals.

Livestock and Fisheries Minister Abdul Bari Pitafi told Dawn on Thursday that the total loss to this sector was still being estimated.

`So far, over 45,000 animals are reported to have perished causing a loss of over Rs10 billion,` he said.

`A committee has been notified to assess the losses,` he added.

Mr Pitafi said that over 32,000 animal sheds and farms were reported to have been completely damaged causing aloss of over Rs6.5bn.

It was also apprehended that seven to eight million animals out of total 50 millionwould become sick due to inundation, he said. `At least Rs2bn is required for animals` medication and vaccination, he added.

The minister said that provision of fodder to the animals in flooded area was another big challenge.

`At least Rs70bn is required to provide one-month fodder to the livestock in the province,` he said, adding that the provincial government was planning to supply fodder to at least 10pc of the total livestock.

He said that most of the affected areas were still inundated and inaccessible and the figure of animal mortality and losses would definitely increase after water was drained out.

`Around 300,000 animals are feared dead in the province,` he said.

The minister said that there were still many areas where livestock teams could not reach due to five to six feet high water.

A report compiled by the livestock department earlier this week said that 29,631 animals died in the unprecedented monsoon rains and flash floods in the province, causing loss of over Rs2bn.