LAHORE – Agriculture Minister Malik Nouman Langerial presided over a meeting with representatives of sugarcane industry here on Monday.
Minister said that government will not leave sugarcane farmers in lurch this year. Hopefully, he said, sugarcane industry will join hands with government and crushing season of sugarcane will be started timely. If there is delay in crushing season, farmers will have to bear losses because weight of their sugarcane reduces with each passing day, he said. Moreover, farmers, he added, must be paid as per announced support price of sugarcane. Delay in payment will not be tolerated this year, he told the mill owners.
Langerial said that government was standing with farmers and their grievances will be redressed.
Representatives of sugarcane industry briefed the minister that sugar industry was passing through turmoil as 90 sugarcane mills were operating and out of which 45 belong to Punjab. Sugar production this year, they said, was marked as 5.90 million metric tons.
Since sugar industry had already surplus stocks, mill owners requested that industry be allowed sugar export to Afghanistan. This is necessary measure that will help sugar industry to start crushing season timely, they said. The minister directed Secretary Agriculture to write a letter to federal government for this permission.