Karachi: The Dairy & Cattle Farmers Association of Pakistan (DCFA) has issued an urgent appeal to the Chief Minister of Sindh, Syed Murad Ali Shah, and the Commissioner Karachi, Syed Hassan Naqvi, highlighting a rapidly escalating crisis affecting the province’s dairy, livestock, and food security landscape.
In a formal letter, DCFA President Shakir Umer Gujjar warned that the growing practice of cement factories and large industries burning wheat straw (toori/bhoosa) as fuel has triggered a severe shortage of livestock fodder, a development he says is pushing dairy farmers toward bankruptcy and driving up the cost of essential food commodities.
Industrial Use of Wheat Straw Sparks Fodder Shortage:
According to Gujjar, wheat straw is the primary and most affordable feed for livestock across Sindh, particularly for dairy and meat-producing farmers in Karachi. However, to cut energy expenses, various industrial units have begun purchasing massive quantities of this straw to burn in their boilers.
This industrial diversion is generating severe consequences, including:
- Acute Shortage and Soaring Prices of Fodder:
DCFA reports a drastic market shortage of wheat straw as factories outbid farmers, causing prices to skyrocket. The higher fodder costs directly increase livestock maintenance eexpenses
- Farmer Losses and Imminent Bankruptcies
Gujjar highlighted that the current production cost of milk has surged to Rs. 270 per liter, solely due to fodder scarcity and inflation.
However, a recent price notification (27 November) set the official farm-gate price at only Rs. 200 per liter.
This Rs. 70 per liter loss is making dairy operations financially unsustainable. Many farmers, he warns, are already collapsing under the ppressure
- Rising Inflation and Food Security Threats
As dairy farms shut down or reduce output, the public will face milk shortages, rising prices, and worsening food insecurity, especially for lower-income households.
DCFA’s Urgent Demands to Sindh Government:
On behalf of Pakistan’s dairy farmers, Shakir Umer Gujjar has requested immediate intervention from provincial authorities, including:
- A Complete Ban on Industrial Burning of Wheat Straw:
He urges the government to prohibit cement factories and other industries from using wheat straw and livestock fodder as boiler fuel. - Implementation of a Strict Regulatory & Monitoring Framework:
To enforce the ban effectively, he calls for a comprehensive monitoring system to prevent misuse and ensure fodder remains accessible to livestock farmers.
Gujjar emphasized that the issue is not merely economic, it is a matter of human and livestock survival. Without immediate government action, he warned, Sindh’s dairy sector could face total collapse, triggering widespread inflation, food scarcity, and long-term damage to Pakistan’s livestock economy.
DCFA has requested an urgent meeting with the Chief Minister and Commissioner Karachi to discuss emergency measures.