KARACHI: The city administration has surpassed the retailers in increasing the prices of mutton and beef.

The city government has increased the official price of mutton by a record Rs190 per kg in a year.

The price this Ramazan has come to Rs740 per kg though it was Rs550 per kg during 2016.

The ofñeial price of veal (bachia) has been raised to Rs380 and Rs470 per kg (with and without bones, respectively), whereas last year the price was Rs320 and Rs440 per kg.

The official meat price of large cow, which was Rs270 and Rs310 (with and without bones) last year, has been enhanced to Rs300 and Rs340 per kg this year.

No relief is being provided to consumers during the holy month of Ramazan, as the price regulator did not bother to take notice ofthe increase in meat prices by Rs20-50 per kg from January 2017 till May 2017.

The government claimed to have fixed the prices after meeting with stakeholders in the meat business and consumers` related bodies.

They all jointly fooled consumers as the retailers now enjoy a free hand in charging more than the already enhanced ofñcialprices.

The official prices are fixed just as a formality to show how the government is taking care of the interests of consumers. However, ignoring the official rate, retailers are now demanding Rs420-460 per kg for veal with bones and Rs520-600 for meat without bones; the price also varies by area.

Sky-high mutton rates The mutton rates in various parts of the city hover between Rs800-900 per kg.

Traders in different areas attributed rising wholesale prices to heavy shipment of animals to Quetta, Iran and Afghanistan. They said mutton dealers of Punjab are now lifting goats from Sindh in bulk, thus putting the prices of mutton under pressure.

Surprisingly, beef and mutton prices continue to rise despite soaring population oflivestock in the country.

Previously meat dealers used to attribute the price hike to rising exports of meat, but the numbers reveal a different picture. Meat exports fell to 48,295 tonnes fetching $179 million in July-April 2016-2017, while in the same period last fiscal exports were 66,622 tonnes earning $228m.

According to the Economic Survey 2016-17, goat population went up to 72.2 million from 70.3m in 2015-2016, 68.4m in 2014-15 and 66.6m in 2013-14.

Buffalo numbers rose to 37.7m from 36.6m in 2015-16, 35.6m in 2014-15 and 34.6m in 2013-14.

Cattle numbers reached 44.4m in 2016-2017 from 42.8m in 2015-2016, 41.2m in 2014-2015 and 39.7m in 2013-2014.

Beef production increased to 2.085 million tonnes from 2m tonnes in 2015-16, 1.95m tonnesin 2014-15 and 1.89m tonnes in 2013-14.

Mutton production went up to 701,000 tonnes in2016-2017 from 686,000 tonnes in 2015-16, 671,000 tonnes in 2014-15 and 657,000 tonnes in 2013-14.