Pakistan: Growers demand timely opening of sugar mills, closure of flood canals
Pakistan’s Sindh Abadgar Ittehad demanded timely sugar mill operations, closure of flood canals and improved agricultural support. Growers sought a wheat support price of Rs 5,500 per 40 kg and sugarcane price of Rs 650 per 40 kg, citing low crop prices and rising input costs.
HYDERABAD: The Sindh Abadgar Ittehad has demanded the timely opening of sugar mills and immediate closure of Chashma-Jhelum Link Canal and other flood canals, saying that agriculture is the backbone of Pakistan’s economy and growers are being pushed into financial difficulties due to low crop prices and rising input costs.
The demand was made at a meeting of the Sindh Abadgar Ittehad held at its central office in Hyderabad under the chairmanship of President Nawab Zubair Talpur. A large number of growers, including Muhammad Anwar, Javed Riar, Pir Ashfaq Sarhandi, Abdul Haq Zounar, Khan Muhammad, Saifullah Gill, Abdul Razzaq Abro, Abdul Rahim Dars, Mohib Ali Mari, Muhammad Sharif Nizamani and Jahan Khan Laghari, attended the meeting.
Nawab Zubair Talpur and other leaders said the government had disappointed growers by reducing the prices of crops, particularly paddy, while prices of urea and DAP fertilisers had reached unaffordable levels.
They alleged that the government was more interested in filling its own coffers in the name of providing wheat subsidies. They said that if the government wanted to provide relief to growers, it should reduce fertiliser prices and provide relief on diesel used for tractors. They also demanded that sugar mills be opened on time so that wheat cultivation could begin according to the crop calendar. The Sindh Abadgar Ittehad demanded that the wheat support price be fixed at Rs5,500 per 40kg and the sugarcane price at Rs650 per 40kg.
The growers also called for immediate closure of Chashma-Jhelum Link Canal and other flood canals to ensure availability of water for agriculture.
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Source : International The News
