Karachi faces milk crisis as farmers demand Rs 100/litre price hike

Karachi is on the brink of a major milk crisis as dairy farmers threaten to halt production. Citing a 75% rise in costs, they demand a Rs 100/litre price hike, warning they will independently raise prices in June if authorities fail to act.

Karachi is facing a severe fresh milk crisis after dairy farmers threatened to suspend production unless the government immediately approves a Rs100-per-litre increase in milk prices, as reported by Dawn.

Farmers' Ultimatum Over Soaring Costs

According to Dawn, the Dairy and Cattle Farmers Association (DCFA) stated that the dairy sector was nearing collapse due to soaring production costs and unchecked inflation.

In a letter addressed to the Karachi commissioner, DCFA President Musharraf Qureshi Moavi claimed that the prices of cattle feed, bran, oil cake, silage and other essential inputs had surged by 60 to 75 per cent over the past two years.

He further stated that transport expenses, electricity charges, fuel prices, veterinary medicines, vaccines and labour costs had also risen sharply, making milk production financially unsustainable for farmers. The association demanded that authorities convene an emergency meeting of stakeholders within 48 hours to resolve the crisis. DCFA leader Shakir Umer Gujjar warned that if authorities failed to revise the rates, farmers would independently raise milk prices in June. He claimed the actual production cost had already reached nearly PKR 300 per litre. City authorities had only recently approved a PKR 20 per litre increase, fixing the retail price at PKR 240 per kilogram on April 26.

Consumer Frustration Over Poor Quality

Meanwhile, consumers across Karachi have voiced frustration over the declining quality of loose milk. Residents from areas including Saddar, Malir Extension Colony, Gulshan-i-Iqbal and Federal B Area complained that the milk appeared diluted, smelled unusual and spoiled quickly. Several citizens said they had switched to powdered milk despite higher costs because loose milk was no longer trustworthy, as highlighted by Dawn.

Government Acknowledges Crisis

A senior government official acknowledged that production costs had increased substantially, partly due to rising animal feed prices and meat exports. However, the official maintained that another steep increase was not currently being considered because inflation had already placed immense pressure on the public. The official also admitted that milk quality had worsened significantly, as reported by Dawn. (ANI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)