Daily Times

The Pakistan Dairy Association (PDA) has asked the government to reduce the 18% General Sales Tax (GST) on packaged milk. They say that the tax is making milk more expensive, which is hurting both producers and consumers.

This request was made during a meeting with Haroon Akhtar Khan, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister, on Wednesday. The meeting discussed problems faced by the dairy sector.

Haroon Akhtar explained that Pakistan is one of the largest milk producers in the world, making over 70 million tons of milk each year. However, he said more work is needed to improve dairy farming and milk processing to raise quality and lower costs.

The PDA representatives said that the 18% GST is increasing milk prices and stopping investments in the dairy sector. They urged the government to reduce the tax to ensure affordable milk prices and help the industry grow. They also pointed out that high taxes are pushing consumers to buy milk from the unregulated, informal market, which can be unsafe.

Haroon Akhtar promised that the government will work on solving the dairy sector’s problems and continue talking with the industry to find good solutions. He agreed that policies should support both government revenue and the growth of the dairy industry while keeping milk prices affordable for consumers.

The meeting also discussed the need for more investment in modern dairy farming and better infrastructure to improve milk production. Haroon Akhtar stressed that for Pakistan to become self-sufficient in food production, investing in dairy farming is very important.

In a separate meeting, Haroon Akhtar met with the Pakistan Business Council (PBC) to talk about issues with exports, imports, and tariffs. The meeting, also attended by Federal Minister for Commerce Jam Kamal Khan, focused on the challenges businesses face because of high costs and tariffs.

Haroon Akhtar said the government is working to improve exports and the business environment. He emphasized that stable policies are important for economic growth and that the government is taking steps to help trade and industrial growth.

Jam Kamal added that strengthening trade and industry is key for long-term economic stability, and the government is committed to working with businesses to help the economy grow.