KARACHI, April 10: Customs have started holding-up imported consignments of skimmed milk powder, arriving from East Europe and Russia, on the request of Pakistan Dairy Association (PDA), claiming that the powder is adulterated.

So far 15 containers, carrying 250-300 tons of skimmed milk powder worth of $270,000, have been detained by the Customs while 700-800 tons are on way to reach the port from East Europe in the current month.

Market sources said that the dairy farmers have informed the Customs that the consignments of milk powder has been carrying 40 per cent quantity of whey powder, an animal feed, which has been blended with the skimmed powder and many traders have imported it due to its cheap prices in Europe.

Collector of Customs Appraisement, Abdul Waheed Khan told Dawn on Wednesday that consignments of only East Europe origin have been held up at the port.

“We are now carrying out selective checking of skimmed milk powder from Hussain Ebrahim Jamal (HEJ) Institute on random basis before taking any action,” he said.

The decision to conduct test of imported skimmed milk powder has been taken on Tuesday after a consensus reached between importers and the Customs in a meeting.

He said the Customs is now releasing only the imported skimmed milk powder of Western Europe origin and importers have started releasing it.

It could not be known what action would be taken by the Customs but market sources said that the Customs Department may burn these consignments, if these are found unfit for human consumption after Laboratory test.

However, Pakistan Kiryana Merchants Association (PKMA), took up the matter with the Collector of Customs, Appraisement on April 6, seeking release of the imported consignments.

In a letter to Collector of Customs, Appraisement, the senior vice chairman of PKMA, Jaffer Kudia said that the actual fact is that the prices of milk powder in international market have dropped drastically by about 40 per cent in the last quarter and as a result of this, prices of imported milk powder in the local markets have dropped.

He said that locally milk powder is now available at Rs3,100 per 25 kg as compared to Rs4,200 while the imported milk powder is being sold at Rs2,000 per 25 kg bag and that is the actual fact, causing problem to the local dairies.