DAIRY FARMERS AS MAFIAS

There are shocking revelations in a report on dairy farmers for selling milk at arbitrary prices in Shar-e-Quaid are a clear indication of how weak the check-and-balance system is at the governmental level but across the country. Given the storm of inflation caused by the continuous rise in commodity prices, it is fair to say that the existence of such a system is no longer felt by the common man. According to the Inquiry Report of the Commission, three major dairy associations in Karachi are involved in price-fixing. It is pertinent to mention that an inquiry was initiated by a well-known consumer association against the increase in milk prices through a nexus of the Dairy Farmers Association in the light of a letter to the commission and media reports. The complaint alleged that the price fixed by the government was Rs 94 per liter while the association conspiratorially sold it at Rs 120 per liter, resulting in a loss of Rs 130 million per day or Rs 47 billion per annum to consumers. Vendors were also threatened to cut off supply if they did not sell milk at a fixed rate. This issue is not limited to milk but the prices of all commodities from vegetables, fruits, flour, sugar, medicine to petrol are not hidden from anyone. There have been many such examples in recent years, including the drug scandal, the sugar-flour crisis and the shortage of petrol during the lockdown. There is an effective check and balance system around the world to protect the rights of ordinary consumers and control prices. There is a need to create a strong monitoring mechanism at the national level instead of relying on mere announcements that will not allow any nexus to flourish.

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