City District Government Karachi (CDGK) has finally decided to take on all outstanding challenges to control illegal price escalation of essential commodities in the metropolis by initiating anti-profiteering drive to bring down the increased milk prices in line with the official ones, said CDGK officials.
The long awaited drive was started on Wednesday by the CDGK's revenue department against the profiteering milk-sellers. One of the milk producer's association has unofficially increased the prices by Rs 2 per liter and Rs 2.88 per liter as retail and wholesale rates respectively over the past two weeks, which brought the milk prices to Rs 32 per liter in the retail and Rs 29.12 per liter in the wholesale markets.
CDGK officials told Business Recorder on Wednesday that their stance on the issue was clear enough to take brisk and stern actions against those who were involved in profiteering of essential commodities, while milk producers claimed that they were suffering losses of Rs 240 million per day.
According to the revenue department, CDGK's assigned DOs and Mukhtarkars will continue to work to stabilise the prices of essential commodities. Milk producers alleged that the industrialist were behind the CDGK's anti-profiteering drive to collapse the budding milk industry in the city, however demanded of CDGK's high-ups to constitute an inquiry commission to sort out the issues.
They pointed out that the inevitable price increase of milk came in the wake of high prices of animals as a single buffalo was available in the market in the range of Rs 70,000 to Rs 75,000, besides increasing prices of ingredients used in cattle's fodder. They urged upon the government to control the prices of fodder ingredients to help boost up the new milk industry, which would consequently put a positive impact on the milk prices.