Karachi, Feb 13 (IANS): In uncertain economic conditions, consumers in Karachi continue to receive severe price shocks following an unchecked hike in the prices of daily use items.

Loose milk, which has been increased to Pak Rs 210 from Pak Rs 190 per litre by some shopkeepers and live broiler chicken which has seen an increase of Rs 30-40 per kg in the last two days, taking the cost to Rs 480-500 per kilogram, Dawn reported.

Earlier this month, the live bird was available at Rs 390-440 per kg while it was being sold between Rs 380-420kg in the last week of January, 2023.

The chicken meat is now being sold at Rs 700-780 a kg which was Rs 620-650 per kg a few days ago, Dawn reported.

Boneless meat price hit a new peak of Rs 1,000-1,100 per kg, showing a jump of Rs 150-200 per kg in the same period.

Boneless poultry meat rate has crossed the price of boneless veal which is currently being sold at Rs900-1,000 per kg, while meat with bones is selling at Rs 800-850 per kg.

On loose milk, Karachi Milk Retailers Association media coordinator Waheed Gaddi claimed that "over 1,000 shopkeepers are selling milk at an inflated rate. These are actually shops of wholesalers/dairy farmers and not our members."

He said: "Our 4,000 retail members have kept the price unchanged at Rs 190 per litre."

In case the price hike announced by dairy farmers and wholesalers is not reverted, retailers will be bound to charge Rs 220 per litre instead of Rs 210 from the consumers as per new rate calculation after Rs 27 per litre jump in procurement price, he added, Dawn reported.

On Dec 16, 2022, retailers got an increase of Rs 10 per litre from the commissioner of Karachi to sell milk at Rs 180 per litre, but majority of retailers continued to sell milk at Rs 190 per litre, rejecting the official rate. At that time, the official wholesale rate was also increased from Rs 160 per litre to Rs 170.