HYDERABAD (January 13 2004): Federal Minister for Food, Agriculture and Livestock Yar Muhammad Rind has said that equal level ground for all stakeholders of sugar sector is imperative for the development of sugar industry in the country.

He was talking to newsmen soon after his meeting with sugarcane growers here on Monday. He said during the meeting sugarcane growers' problems pertaining to quality premium, delayed crushing season, support price and middlemen system was discussed in detail.

He said decisions on some of the problems have already been taken which include the payment of cane price for the crushing season 2002-03 at the rate of Rs 43 per 40Kg.

He said out of the total outstanding of Rs 980 million, recorded on 18-10-2003 on account of cane price arrears, an amount of Rs 567 million has already been paid to the growers while for the payment of the remaining amount, the mills management's have been directed to make payment without further delay to avoid a legal action against them.

PREMIUM: Referring to the quality premium, he said sugar mills have to make payment of Rs 1071 million to cane growers for the crushing season 2002-03. He said the mills have already been directed to pay the quality premium by 31st January 2004.

He also suggested that the provincial government should ensure the payment on the decided date.

He said it was decided to issue instructions to all the managing directors, chief executives of sugar mills to directly purchase sugarcane from the growers instead of purchasing through middlemen so that the cane growers would get the state set minimum price.

He said, "the system of middlemen is causing enormous losses to the cane growers."

He said the matter with regard to unauthorised deduction by the mills owners on the plea of unapproved varieties having low recovery have also been discussed and the sugar mills have been instructed to stop this practice forthwith.

He also advised the growers to file written complaints regarding such incidents at Sindh Cane Commissioner to enable him to initiate legal action.

Responding to a question Rind said, "unless the sugar mills exploit by-product of sugar industry the production cost continues to maintain high profile." He said in WTO regime, which is around the corner, the quality and cost would be only criteria in international market.

He further said the new sugar policy, which has already been communicated to the provincial government emphasis on the exploitation of by-product and replacement of high delta crop by less water-consuming crop.

The minister said that he would tour the entire sugarcane growing area in the province and would hold meetings with sugar mills owners at Karachi and later convened a joint meeting of mills management and the representatives of cane growers in order to resolve the controversial issue mutually.

Courtesy Business Recorder