The financial toll of chai addiction in Pakistan

Writing for the Dawn, author Fatima Attarwala notes that In Pakistan, drinking chai (tea) is a popular and almost daily ritual for many people. However, due to the necessary sugar and caffeine hit required to sustain momentum throughout the day, some cannot limit their intake to a single cup. 

As a result, the increase in the price of tea by 3x over the last decade, according to data by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, has a significant impact on people’s wallets.

A simple cup of tea costs approximately Rs50, and if a person consumes three cups a day, every day, the cost multiplies to Rs4,500 a month. In a country where the minimum wage is Rs15,000, this means that tea drinking can consume a whopping 30% of income.

Pakistan is the largest importer of tea in the world, with annual imports of roughly half a billion dollars. However, instead of relying on imports, the country should consider growing local tea. Although some tracts of land in Pakistan are suitable for growing tea leaves, local farmers are not interested due to the high initial investment for plantations and the fact that it takes five to six years before the leaves can be picked to be made into tea.

As the price of milk, creamers, and sugar continues to increase due to inflation and the depreciation of the rupee, the morning cup of chai will become less affordable for many people in Pakistan.

To read the full article visit www.dawn.com

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