Dairy farmers in Karachi have urged the Sindh government to approve an immediate Rs50 per litre increase in milk prices, warning of a potential collapse of the sector following recent floods that devastated rural areas and disrupted supply chains.
Speaking at a press conference at the Karachi Press Club, representatives of the Dairy Farmers Association said the dairy industry is under severe financial stress. The rising cost of essential inputs, they claimed, has made milk production unsustainable.
“Nearly every input — from fodder to transport — has become 30% more expensive after the floods,” said a spokesperson. “We are incurring massive losses, and the situation is now at a breaking point.”
According to the association, dairy farmers are suffering daily losses of Rs3 billion, primarily due to increased operational costs and stagnant retail prices. Karachi is estimated to consume around five million litres of milk per day, sourced from over one million cattle and buffaloes raised within and around the city.
Currently, milk is being sold at Rs220 per litre in the market. Farmers are demanding that the price be officially raised to Rs270 per litre to reflect the surge in production costs. They warned that failure to act could result in dire consequences for both livestock and livelihoods.
“Thousands of animals are at risk of starvation because farmers can no longer afford fodder,” said another farmer. “If action is not taken soon, we will see a sharp decline in milk availability in Karachi.”
In a strong message to the provincial authorities, the association issued a deadline. If the government does not issue an official notification approving the price adjustment by October 1, they plan to launch protests, including a sit-in outside the Chief Minister’s House.
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The group emphasized that the proposed price revision is not a profit-making move but a necessary step to ensure the survival of the dairy sector — one of Karachi’s most critical food supply systems.
