The price of one litre pack of tetra packed milk has recorded a phenomenal rise of Rs 12 (72 percent) to Rs 44 in last five months, market sources and users said here on Monday. They said that it was surprising that nobody was checking this sharp rise in the price of packed milk, which is an essential item of every house particularly for kids.
Rubina Imtiaz, a household women said that it has become very difficult to buy packed milk for her children these days due to exceptional increase in its price in the last several months.
"This is unbelievable. Nobody is checking this. This is an anti-consumer behaviour of milk processors. This is a basic food for children, Its prices should be checked and brought down to a reasonable level," she noted.
Asif Nagori, a local milk shop owner in Gulshan-e-Iqbal said that city government has been forcing local milk sellers to sell milk at Rs 28 per litre but nobody is asking these companies to reduce their prices which are totally unrealistic.
"We are selling milk at Rs 32 a kilo. This is our retail price, which includes all expenses. Packed milk is costlier by Rs 12 on each litre," he added. An official of CDGK said that city government has worked out the retail price of milk sold by milkmen at Rs 28 a litre. This includes, purchase of milk, commission of middlemen, transportation cost and margin of retailer, he added.
He said that City Nazim was convinced that milk should be sold at Rs 28 in the market because this included all costs. Although, milk is not sold at CDGK's recommended prices, the Nazim is still insisting on this price, he observed.
Uroosa Minhas, a working women, said that she has selected tetra pack milk because of its quality and hygienic value. "This is an essential food item and its prices should be reasonable so that a middle class family can afford it," she added.
Here, it is interesting to note that Pakistan has become number three in the global milk production, producing 32 billion litre annually. The government has also launched a massive programme to further develop dairy farming as President Pervez Musharraf, early this year, vowed to bring in a "white revolution" in the country.
Four leading brands - Milkpack, Olpers, Haleeb and Good Milk are sold in Karachi, Taqi Mehdi, a salesman at super store said. "We are selling a carton of one dozen litre pack of Olpers milk and Milkpack at Rs 504," he added.