Surge in milk, yogurt prices irk citizens

Diary products go up sharply for the second time in one month

RAWALPINDI:

The prices of milk and yogurt have seen a sharp increase for the second time in just one month, causing a public outcry.

According to sources, the prices have gone up by Rs200 per litre for milk and Rs220 per kg for yogurt in the open market. According to officials, the surge in prices is a result of the rising costs of buffalo green fodder, straw, and dry bread, which have seen a significant increase of 1000 per cent over the past eleven months. Furthermore, the price of a buffalo has also gone up from Rs0.25 million to Rs0.6 million in just a year.

The Gwala Union, representing milkmen, has rejected the official price-fixing of milk at Rs170 per litre and yogurt at Rs180 per kg by the Deputy Commissioner, terming it a "serious joke." The union has stated that they had no choice but to increase the prices due to the rising costs of production.

Moreover, the Nanbai Association has also announced a hike in the prices of bread, Naan, and Battercake (paratha) from the 1st of Ramadan, citing an increase in the prices of flour and fine flour. The price of bread has been raised from Rs30 to Rs40, while the price of battercake has been increased to Rs60. The price of a cup of tea has also been raised to Rs50 per cup.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, March 12^th, 2023.