RECENT TRENDS AND VARIABILITY IN PRICES OF SELECfED CROP AND LNESTOCK PRODUCTS IN PAKISTAN

ABSTRACT: Recent trends (1971-85), year-to-year variability and seasonal variability in wholesale prices for wheat, maize, beef, mutton, milk, desi ghee, poultry meat, eggs, green fodder and dry fodder are analysed. Prices of live-stock products are shown to have increased relative to grain while prices of fodders have fallen sharply. Livestock prices are the least variable from year to year while fodder prices are the most variable. Seasonality of prices of all products and especially of fodders has declined over time. Knowledge of relative price relationships and variability over sea-sons and around trends is important for understanding patterns of change and resource allocation in the agricultural sector. In Pakistan, in particular, there have been no studies of changing relationships between crop and livestock prices. A recent report by Cheong and D'Silva (5) suggests that livestock prices may have increased more rapidly than grain prices but does not explore either annual or seasonal variability in prices. Given the close inter-linkages between crop and livestock activities in most Pakistan farntin