The Pakistan Economy Watch (PEW) on Saturday said powerful sugar mills mafia continue to exploit the sugarcane growers which must be noticed.
Increased production of sugarcane has failed to improve the quality of life of millions of people depending on the sugarcane crop as they get Rs100 to Rs120 per maund against the support price of Rs180 per maund, it said.
Growers are not getting the notified price for their produce while they also face delayed payments every year, said Dr. Murtaza Mughal, President of PEW.
He said that federal and provincial governments have frequently been accused to side with the millers are provide them subsidies to the tune of tens of billions of rupees which put the strain on the exchequer. Murtaza Mughal said that uncertainty continues to hurt growers and millions of those dependent on them while authorities have failed to chalk out any plan to save them from abuse.He said that support price mechanism should be altered, growers should be given incentives, while millers should be directed to pay half of the price while unloading the sugarcane.—INP