KARACHI: Just a month before Ramazan, dairy sector stakeholder decided to increase the price of fresh milk by Rs10 per litre to Rs150 from Tuesday (today). With the latest hike in the price of fresh milk, yogurt price will go up by Rs20 to reach Rs240 per kg.

On Nov 8, 2021, fresh milk and yogurt prices were raised by Rs10 per litre and Rs20 per kg to Rs140 and Rs220 from Rs130 and Rs200, respectively.

From March 2021 to date, consumers braved a price hike of Rs30 per litre in milk and Rs60 per kg in yogurt.

Spokesperson of Milk Retailers Association, Waheed Gaddi said the body rejects the latest price hike. However, he warned that milk price will further go up by Rs30 per litre in case the government does not withdraw 17 per cent general sales tax on milk inputs.

He said retailers were passing on the impact of Rs10 per litre in wholesale rates to the consumers. Retailers are getting milk at wholesale rate of Rs132-136 per litre, following an increase of Rs10 per litre.

Dairy Cattle Farmers Association (DCFA) President Shakir Gujjar claimed that farmers were not behind the latest increase in milk rates. “DCFA rejects the increase in prices by the wholesalers and retailers,” he added.

Dairy farmers had planned to raise the prices by Rs30 per litre — Rs20 in March and Rs10 after Eidul Fitr — but retailers and wholesalers colluded to raise rates, he added.

Published in Dawn, March 1st, 2022