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Sugarcane growers stopped supply to the mills
KARACHI--The sugar industry in Sindh might plunge in to severe
crisis as the growers have decided
to stop supply of sugarcane to the sugar mills throughout the
province who do not offer Rs.58/-
per 40 kg price of their produce.
The decision was taken at a meeting of prominent growers who
gathered here on Dec 23, 2001 from
across the province at the residence of Jam Madad Ali in
Defence Housing Society on his
invitation. Those who attended the meeting included former MNA
and minister Mir Hazar Khan
Bijarani, former Deputy Speaker National Assembly Syed Zafar
Ali Shah, Jam Haider Ali, Jam Sher Ali (brother of late Sindh Chief Minister Jam Sadiq ), Jam
Ghulam Rasool Unar, former MNA Pir
Aftab Shah Jilani, Khalil Bachani, Faisal Kachhelo, Ghulam
Mustafa Kachhelo, former Senator Syed
Qurban Ali Shah and several others.
The participants of the meeting criticized the government for
accepting demand of the sugar mills
owners by increasing import duty on sugar from 20 percent to
30 percent and opined that after
closing the way of sugar import, the sugar mills owners would
dictate their own terms and
conditions. They termed it anti-grower decision which could
also make the government helpless to
keep the sugar price stable in the country.
They agreed to continue supply of sugarcane to few sugar mills
of lower Sindh who have been
paying farmers according to market rate of Rs.58/- per 40 kg.
Discussing the situation that prevails in Punjab, the
participants noted that the farmers there
accept Rs.43/- per 40 kg price as they had bumper crop of
sugarcane due to sufficient water
available to them, while situation in Sindh was contrary to it
where acute shortage of water has
adversely affected the crop with declinein per acre yield and
quality.
Criticizing the Punjab government, they contended that
situation in Sindh has worsened with
refusal by it to adhere to the Water Accord of 1991 and even
refusal to accept the directives of
President Gen. Pervez Musharraf. This is evident from the fact
that only yesterday, 5000 cusecs
less water was released from Tarbela Dam, they added.
The participants warned the government that Argentine-like
situation may arise in Sindh due to
these injustices and questioned that how the rulers would
tackle the Indian threat of scraping
Indus Basin Treaty when they have failed to adhere to the
accords reached in their own country.
The growers-cum-politicians would again meet on January 05,
2002 at the residence of Syed Qurban
Ali Shah to review the situation.
THATTA: No cane like situation prevailed at the four sugar
mills of Thatta district following
stoppage of supply by sugarcane growers to sugar mills over
its reduced price.
The District Nazim, Syed Shafqat Hussain Shah Shirazi taking
stock of the situation has summoned
meeting of cultivators on December 25, so as to adopt a
strategy unanimously against the one
sided reduction of sugarcane rates by the mill owners.
The cultivators said on the request of District Nazim they
withdrew their protest voluntarily and
open heartedly, but mill owners declined to show flexibility
in their attitude nor bothered to
listen them.
District Nazim ensured cultivators that he would do his utmost
efforts to provide them justice
and will never allow economic slaughter of growers.
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