sohailbutt
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KARACHI: Thirty-seven rupees is what you should be paying for one litre of milk at the shop in Karachi. At least thats what the Sindh High Court judges have ordered. But in reality, you are more likely to end up paying seven rupees more, or Rs 44.
Justice Musheer Alam and Justice Safdar Ali Bhutto said Saturday that till April 17, milk will be Rs 37 per litre. However, the city government has been unable to so far enforce this price. For his part, EDO Revenue Matanat Ali promised the orders would be carried out and that magistrates would be booking shopkeepers who defied the order.
GLASS HALF FULL
The milk price war is not new. And in fact it is perhaps one of the most confusing fights to make it to court. Thats because so many people are involved with so many different claims:
The Dairy Farmer or wholesaler says that fodder has become more expensive for his buffaloes. He wants to sell milk for Rs 35 per litre after a one rupee profit.
There are 14 essential input items, of which the crucial four are bran, khulli, husk and green fodder, which all cost.
This leaves anyone else down the chain a margin of two rupees within which to squeeze their profit. After all, the proper price is meant to be a maximum of 37 rupees.
This creates problems for the retailer who wants to sell at Rs 44, not Rs 37.
GOT MILK?
Yes, actually, about 0.4 million litres of it from the aptly named Bhains Colony, a wholesale market in Landhi, with more from Thatta, Mirpur Sakro and Shikarpur.
Milk from the interior of Sindh is cheaper.
Retailers also operate cattle pens and link prices to fodder for buffaloes.
During Ramadan, for example, when milk and yoghurt are at their peak demand, the city needs about 0.75 million litres.
WHAT NEXT?
It is virtually impossible for the city government to police shopkeepers across Karachi and make sure they charge people only 37 rupees.
For their part, they have hauled off hundreds of retailers and put them in the slammer and slapped them with a 5,000-rupee fine. The men just get out and go back to business as usual.
Another danger is that shopkeepers will water down their milk for the consumer so they can sell it for the official 37 rupees but not make a loss.
Where does this leave the consumer? As they say, its no use crying over spilt milk. Dood beh jaey to us pe kya rona?
.:: SAMAA - Dood, where?s my milk, asks Karachi
Justice Musheer Alam and Justice Safdar Ali Bhutto said Saturday that till April 17, milk will be Rs 37 per litre. However, the city government has been unable to so far enforce this price. For his part, EDO Revenue Matanat Ali promised the orders would be carried out and that magistrates would be booking shopkeepers who defied the order.
GLASS HALF FULL
The milk price war is not new. And in fact it is perhaps one of the most confusing fights to make it to court. Thats because so many people are involved with so many different claims:
The Dairy Farmer or wholesaler says that fodder has become more expensive for his buffaloes. He wants to sell milk for Rs 35 per litre after a one rupee profit.
There are 14 essential input items, of which the crucial four are bran, khulli, husk and green fodder, which all cost.
This leaves anyone else down the chain a margin of two rupees within which to squeeze their profit. After all, the proper price is meant to be a maximum of 37 rupees.
This creates problems for the retailer who wants to sell at Rs 44, not Rs 37.
GOT MILK?
Yes, actually, about 0.4 million litres of it from the aptly named Bhains Colony, a wholesale market in Landhi, with more from Thatta, Mirpur Sakro and Shikarpur.
Milk from the interior of Sindh is cheaper.
Retailers also operate cattle pens and link prices to fodder for buffaloes.
During Ramadan, for example, when milk and yoghurt are at their peak demand, the city needs about 0.75 million litres.
WHAT NEXT?
It is virtually impossible for the city government to police shopkeepers across Karachi and make sure they charge people only 37 rupees.
For their part, they have hauled off hundreds of retailers and put them in the slammer and slapped them with a 5,000-rupee fine. The men just get out and go back to business as usual.
Another danger is that shopkeepers will water down their milk for the consumer so they can sell it for the official 37 rupees but not make a loss.
Where does this leave the consumer? As they say, its no use crying over spilt milk. Dood beh jaey to us pe kya rona?
.:: SAMAA - Dood, where?s my milk, asks Karachi