Islamabad – The Pakistan Businessmen and Intellectuals Forum (PBIF) on Monday urged the govt to find a solution to the standoff between cane millersand farmers on sugarcane production issue.
PBIF President Mian Zahid Hussain said that increased sugarcane production had resulted in larger surplus stocks which needed immediate attention of the federal and provincial governments. He was of the view that the growing tensions between owners of the sugar mills and growers were likely to cause damages.
He said millers wanted the federal government to increase export subsidy from Rs10.70 to Rs19 otherwise they would not be able to pay more than Rs145 per 40 kg of sugarcane, whose price has been fixed at Rs180 per 40 kg.
On the other hand, the growers want the Sindh government to announce a price of Rs182/40 kg before the crushing and prolonged disagreement can delay crushing which would not only hit growers but also damage wheat and other Rabi crops that follow sugarcane crop.
Punjab has already notified the price of 40 kg of sugarcane at Rs180 but the Sindh government is yet to notify the prices, he added.
Source The Nation