Sindh, Punjab farmers boycott sugarcane supply to mills on 'low price'

SADIQABAD: Sugarcane farmers of Punjab and Sindh have decided in a Jirga here to boycott supply of the crop to sugar mills on low price.

A gathering of the sugarcane farmers from Sindh and Punjab warned that the growers will not harvest the crop if the government wouldn’t fix per maund rate of sugarcane at Rs. 600.

“We will set our standing crops on fire but won’t be blackmailed by the sugar mills mafia,” farmers speaking at the gathering announced.

“Sugar was Rs 120 per kilogram last year while the rate of per maund sugarcane was Rs. 400,” farmers said. “This year per kilo sugar rate has soared to 200 rupees, while the sugarcane’s per maund rate still being offered 400 rupees,” farmers lamented.

“This minimal rate could not meet production expenses of the crop prepared with costly fertilizer and use of diesel,” farmers said.

The farmers leaders prohibited all small and big growers to harvest the crop until their demands accepted by authorities.