KARACHI, Jan 13: The committee, formed to determine new rates of dairy products, is all set to recommend a raise of minimum Rs2 per litre milk price in its final report to be submitted to City Nazim Syed Mustafa Kamal on Tuesday.

The committee comprising representatives of media, consumers, dairy farmers, wholesalers, retailers and government was constituted on January 5 to determine new milk prices within 10 days. However, the notification to form the 13-member committee was issued on January 7 and subsequently the first meeting took place on January 8 in which three sub-committees were formed and entrusted with the task of meeting dairy farmers, retailers and conducting survey of markets.

Sources in the city government told Dawn that the government representatives in the committee were ready to accept the demand of dairy farmers and wholesalers regarding an increase in milk prices. The dairy farmers submitted an estimate to the city government regarding average expenses (from fodder price to milk transportation charges) on a dairy farm having 100 buffalos and as per their estimate the per litre cost of milk was Rs38.40, they added.

In the meanwhile, the two members of the committee representing media – Shahid Mustafa and Salahuddin – had resigned in protest of alleged lack of interest on part of the EDO Enterprise and Investment Promotion, who is the head of the committee. Both of them also feared that the city government officials in connivance with the milk-sellers would recommend an unnecessary raise and they did not want to become its part.

Talking to Dawn, EDO (E&IP) Hassan Naqvi said the two media representatives had some reservations and therefore they quit. “We are taking on board other representatives of the media, who will attend the final two meetings on Monday and Tuesday,” he added.

Regarding the Saturday’s meeting, the EDO said it was a consultative meeting in which the findings of the sub-committees came under discussion. He said one of the sub-committees had visited Tando Jam to know the prices of buffalo, fodder and milk. “We will have another round on Monday and I will submit the recommendations to the nazim on Tuesday,” he disclosed.

The sources said the committee ignored the factor of contamination and did not assign any of the three sub-committees or the city government officials the task of ascertaining adulteration in milk, which is being done at each stage from dairy farms to retailers.

They said it might be true that one litre of pure milk cost Rs38.40 but the milk available in the markets was not pure, as milk-sellers mixed 40 to 50 per cent water to increase its life and their margin of profit. The dairy farmers, wholesalers and retailers are earning huge profits and despite paying exorbitant price the citizens are getting adulterated and unhygienic milk.

The city government can ascertain the adulteration by randomly collecting milk samples from dairy farms and retail outlets and conducting laboratory test. But so far no such step was taken by the authorities concerned.

Sikandar Nagori, representative of the wholesalers in the committee, said four months back a government department assessed the cost of per litre milk as Rs34. “The unprecedented rise in fodder price during the last four months has also increased the per litre cost of milk, which reach to Rs38.40 per litre. We had already submitted all facts to the city government and hope they will do justice,” he added.