Milk hits Rs200 per litre, yogurt at Rs300 per kg

Administration silent as dairy traders push up prices by Rs20

KARACHI:

The powerful milk traders lobby has arbitrarily increased he prices of loose milk and yogurt by Rs20 in Karachi.

The administration has taken no notice of the arbitrary increase in price of essential items, citizens said.

The dairy traders have fixed the per litre price of milk at Rs200 per liter up by Rs20 against the previous rate of Rs180/litre. Similarly, the new rates of yogurt are Rs300 per kilogramme registering an increase of Rs20 against the previous price of Rs280/kg.

Dairy farmers attributed the increase in the prices of milk and yogurt to increase in production costs and shortage of fodder.

Earlier on September 5, the price of milk was increased by Rs20 per liter by the dairy farmers.

The government notified price of milk in the city is Rs120 per liter. However, the city administration has completely failed to control the official prices and seems to be held hostage by the dairy farmers.

Dairy farmers are selling milk at over Rs80 above the government rate and no one appear to stop them from profiteering.

Shopkeepers say that they are getting 40 litres of milk at Rs7000 or Rs175/litre, including the transportation costs. On the other side, citizens say that the criminal negligence of the city administration regarding milk prices is tantamount to allegedly supporting profiteers and the dairy mafia.

They demand immediate and strict crackdown on dairy farmers and punishment to those challenging the government writ by selling dairy products above notified prices.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 18^th, 2022.