The dairy farmers of the city have issued a strong warning that the price of milk could soon go up by Rs 50 per litre if the government does not step in to address their growing financial crisis.
At a press conference held at the Karachi Press Club, leaders of the Dairy Farmers Association painted a grim picture of the sector’s situation. They kept on explaining that the recent floods had devastated grazing lands and disrupted supply chains, leaving thousands of animals at risk of starvation and making the poor poorer.
Farmers said that almost every input used in milk production—fodder, feed, medicines, fuel, and labour—has become expensive, with overall expenses shooting up by nearly 30%. As a result, they claim the sector is losing nearly Rs 3 billion every day in Karachi alone, where more than one million cattle and buffalo produce around five million litres of milk daily for the city.
Milkmen are selling the milk in Karachi for about Rs 220 per litre. The farmers are demanding that the official price is going to go up to Rs 270 per litre to cover their costs and keep the supply chain functioning. Without this adjustment, they warn, many farmers may be forced to cut down on feed, putting livestock health at risk and potentially leading to a milk shortage in the city.
“This is not just about us,” one farmer leader claimed. “If our animals starve, Karachi’s people will also suffer. We cannot sustain losses forever.”
A clear deadline has been set by the association: if the Sindh government does not approve the price hike and issue a notification by October 1, they will stage a protest outside the Chief Minister’s House.
The looming standoff has already ignited concerns among citizens, many of whom are already grappling with high food prices. A sudden Rs 50 hike in milk is going to add more pressure on household budgets, especially in lower-income families where milk is a staple.
For now, Karachiites are left waiting to glance if the government and dairy farmers can find middle ground before the deadline passes—and before their morning tea, children’s milk, and everyday meals get significantly more expensive.