The association asked to place a ban on the export of animal fodder and sign a free trade agreement with them to import animal fodder; otherwise, there would be a Rs15 price hike by the month of May. However, the price hike was rejected by the Milk Retailers Association, other associations of dairy farmers and the commissioner. Sindh Agriculture Supply and Prices Department on Monday issued a notification to all the divisional commissioners across the province to take against the abrupt price hike of fresh milk and violation of the notified milk price which is Rs94 per litre.
The deputy commissioners, assistant commissioners and mukhtiarkars were responsible to take action against profiteering and stabllize prices of all essential commodities, including fresh milk, under the Sindh Essential Commodities Price Control and Prevention of Profiteering and Hoarding Act, 2005 and other related laws, the notification said.
Sindh Bureau of Supply and Price Director Javed Hassan Khan said it was requested to issue necessary directives to the deputy commissioners, assistant commissioners and mukhtiarkars to take action against the abrupt and undue price hike of fresh milk to provide relief to the public. The commissioner directed all the deputy commissioners of the city to hold meetings with different associations of milk retailers and farmers, adding that only the commissioner’s office could notify the rates of milk. He ordered taking strict action against those found selling milk at higher rates.
On the directives of Deputy Commissioner South Irshad Sodhar, Additional Deputy Commissioner-I Junaid Khan held a meeting with different milk retailers’ associations and police at his office on Tuesday. He directed the retailers to strictly follow the commissioner’s notified milk rates.
Associations
Currently, there are three associations of dairy farmers that supply milk to Karachi — the Karachi Dairy Farmer Association, the Dairy Farmer Association and the Karachi Dairy and Cattle Farmers Association.
According to Karachi Dairy and Cattle Farmers Association President Shakir Umer Gujjar, hike in the retail prices of milk by Rs20 hike means it would be sold at Rs140 per litre to the end consumer. For the wholesale rates, Umer said, Rs16 had been increased.
Dairy Farmer Association Karachi President Haji Muhammad Akhtar Gujjar, on the other hand, rejected the price hike and said although they also wanted to increase the price of milk, but the recent increase had nothing to do with their association. Talking to The News, he said, that they were in the milk market since last 40 years and most of the retailers buy milk from them. Milk Retailer Association President Amjad Ali also refused to accept the price hike by one of the farmer’s association. He told The News that the price hike had not impacted the retail market as yet. He lamented how the commissioner Karachi over the last year had repeatedly refused to see them and asserted how there was a dire need for increase in milk prices, however, distanced himself with the recent price hike.
Demands
Umar Gujjar said that if retailers did not want to accept the hike in milk prices, they should not buy milk from their farms. Akhtar said that his association was nothing but a puppet to government. The last notified price hike by the commissioner’s office was on March 28, 2018. However, according to Sindh High Court’s order, he pointed out that the provincial government was bound to revise milk rates after every four months. “There hadn’t been any meeting for the milk prices since then,” he shared, adding that the commissioner Karachi should be charged under contempt of court.If any action was taken against them, he said, that they would bring their hundreds of buffaloes or road.
