Karachi dairy sector under pressure after fodder supply halt

KARACHI: A potential milk shortage has emerged in Karachi after the supply of animal feed was disrupted due to a strike by fodder dealers, ARY News reported on Wednesday.

The Dairy Farmers Association has written to Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah seeking urgent intervention to restore the supply of fodder.

The association has also sent letters to the Chief Secretary, Karachi Commissioner and Inspector General of Sindh.

According to the association, the transportation of fodder from Sindh and Balochistan has remained suspended since 20 July, resulting in a severe shortage of feed for livestock.

Dairy Farmers Association representative Shaukat Mukhtar warned that if the shortage of animal feed continues, Karachi could face a scarcity of milk and other dairy products.

The association has urged authorities to immediately ensure the restoration of fodder supplies from Sindh and Balochistan, warning that failure to resolve the issue could lead to serious nutritional challenges for livestock in Karachi.

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Earlier in March, the price of milk was increased by Rs 20 per litre. The Commissioner of Karachi hadissued an official notification confirming the price hike.

Under the new rate structure, the dairy farmer price was set at Rs 215 per litre, while the wholesale price was fixed at Rs 225 per litre.

For consumers, the retail price was set at Rs 240 per litre.

The decision followed a meeting between Commissioner Karachi, Hassan Naqvi, and a delegation from the Karachi Dairy Farmers.

Shabbir Dar, a spokesperson for the dairy farmers, stated that the delegation demanded the hike because milk production costs had skyrocketed.

He added that it was no longer sustainable for farmers to sell milk at the previous rates.