The recent federal budget’s tax implementations have sparked widespread concern among various social classes, leading dairy and cattle farmers to join the protests.
Officials from the Dairy Cattle Farmers Association of Pakistan, speaking at a press conference in Lahore, vehemently opposed the new taxes. They argued that these measures would significantly increase the production costs of eggs, chicken, milk, and meat, making it impossible to sell these essential goods at affordable prices.
The association detailed that the new tax measures would drive the cost of milk to 300 rupees per kilo, beef to 2,000 rupees per kilo, and goat meat to 3,500 rupees per kilo, threatening the livelihoods of approximately 8 million households engaged in the dairy and cattle sector across Pakistan.
Asif Islam Butt, a representative from Cooperative Dairy Farming, emphasized that the power to set milk prices should rest with dairy cattle farmers rather than district governments. He warned that the oppressive tax regime would make maintaining reasonable milk and meat prices difficult.
Shahbaz Rasool Warraich, the Chief Organizer, advocated for a ban on the importation of powdered milk and stressed that the pricing of fresh milk should reflect actual demand and supply dynamics. He called for district-level issuance of price notifications based on production costs to prevent farmers’ financial ruin.
Warraich further cautioned that if the government persists with these draconian tax policies, it could trigger a milk shortage and lead to a downturn in the dairy sector. He urged the government to reconsider its strategies to prevent exacerbating the situation, stressing the importance of ensuring access to pure milk for children and advocating for stringent penalties against those who fail to comply.
