Food

As the government proposes implementing an 18% sales tax on bottled milk in the 2018 budget, consumers and the food industry in Pakistan may have to pay higher milk prices. This action is being taken at a time when the food business is already having trouble as a result of high taxes on juice products.

In the summer of 2013, a small group gathered in London, resembling a TV set for a cooking show. A man in a white coat and chef’s hat prepared a burger while being filmed by a camera. Food critic Hanni Ruetzler sat nearby, ready to taste the lab-grown burger that had garnered significant attention and a hefty price tag of £215,000 ($330,000). With all eyes on her, Ruetzler delicately cut into the burger and took a bite, offering her thoughts to a room full of journalists. As the cameras zoomed in, she politely commented on the taste and texture, noting that it resembled meat but lacked juiciness. Her mention of missing salt and pepper drew amusement from the audience. Reflecting on the video years later, the author ponders the future of cultivated meat and its potential to become more accessible as interest in meat alternatives grows due to concerns about meat consumption’s impact on the environment.

The Pakistan Tea Association (PTA) has expressed grave worries on the current state of affairs at ports, where a number of containers containing tea are still pending clearance.