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Eight poultry hatcheries fined a total of Rs155 million by the Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) for colluding on the prices of day-old chicks have now individually challenged the penalties. The Competition Appellate Tribunal (CAT) admitted their appeals for regular hearing on Monday and scheduled the next proceedings for September 10, 2025.
The CCP had penalized these poultry companies in May after finding evidence of cartel-like behavior in the sale of day-old chicks, which led to inflated prices and harmed small farmers and the broader poultry market. The fines were part of the regulator’s broader crackdown on anti-competitive practices in Pakistan’s agriculture sector.
The poultry companies argue that the CCP overstepped its jurisdiction and that pricing was influenced by external market factors, not collusion. With the appeals now formally admitted, the Tribunal will examine the merits of the CCP’s case and the companies’ defenses.
Legal experts believe the outcome could set an important precedent for Pakistan’s poultry sector, which has faced scrutiny over pricing and market manipulation. The next hearing promises to shed more light on whether these poultry hatcheries truly engaged in practices that hurt competition and consumers.
