Karachi dairy farmers seek massive milk price increase, warn of supply disruption

KARACHI: Dairy farmers in Karachi have asked the authorities to immediately raise the retail price of fresh milk by Rs100 per litre, warning that production could stop if their demand is not met, a move they say could trigger a serious shortage in the city.

In a letter sent to the Karachi commissioner, the Dairy and Cattle Farmers Association (DCFA) said the sector was nearing collapse because production costs had climbed by 60 to 75 per cent over the past two years. The association urged the provincial authorities to call a meeting of all stakeholders within 48 hours to work out a solution.

DCFA President Musharraf Qureshi Moavi said farmers could no longer continue production under the pressure of inflation and rising input costs. He said prices of animal feed, bran, oil cake, silage and other essentials had gone up by 60 to 75 per cent. He added that petrol, diesel, electricity, cutting, storage and logistics costs had also risen sharply, while medicines, vaccines, veterinary services and labour had become significantly more expensive.

The association warned that if the price of fresh milk was not increased by Rs100 per litre, the sector would face a collapse, causing severe shortages in urban areas and creating difficulties for consumers.

Speaking to Dawn, DCFA leader Shakir Umer Gujjar said the dairy sector was an important part of Pakistan’s food supply and rural economy. “If production halts, cities will face acute milk shortages, and consumers who are already struggling with inflation will suffer more.”

He said the actual cost of milk production for farmers was about Rs300 per litre. He also said farmers planned to raise prices on their own in June if the government did not issue a revised notification.

“We will increase the price in June,” he said, adding that retail prices would then inevitably move up as well. He warned that without a correction, the price of loose milk could reach Rs300 per litre.

Price already raised in April

On April 26, city authorities fixed the retail price of fresh milk at Rs240 per kilogram, increasing it by Rs20 per litre from the previous rate.

While officials have linked any further increase to better quality standards, many consumers have complained that the quality of loose milk has worsened.

“My kids and I drink milk every morning, but now it tastes watery and leaves a weird smell,” Samreen Hasan, a housewife in Saddar said.

A resident of Malir Extension Colony said he had earlier bought milk directly from a nearby cattle pen but no longer trusted its quality. “I used to buy milk directly from a nearby cattle pen and trust it. Now I’m not sure if it’s milk or just water with powder,” he said.

Tauseef Shah, a resident of Gulshan-i-Iqbal, said the quality had deteriorated to the point that his stomach could no longer tolerate it. Kiran Javed, who lives in City Railway Colony and works at a wholesale rice shop in Jodia Bazar, said she had stopped giving loose milk to her three-year-old son because of its declining quality.

“I have switched to ‘powdered milk’, even though it’s more expensive,” she said. Another housewife in the Federal B. Area said the milk appeared thinner and spoiled more quickly.

Officials say further increase not being considered

A senior official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said production costs had indeed risen significantly, partly because of animal meat exports and an unchecked increase in feed prices. However, the official said the authorities had already approved a Rs20 per litre increase last month and were not considering a larger hike at present.

“We cannot grant a larger hike at this time due to public outcry over inflation, and as a result, the quality of milk has been severely compromised,” the official said.

According to the official, a further increase is not under consideration for now.