Millers asked to start cane crushing to save growers

KARACHI: Advisor to Sindh Chief Minister Sharmila Farooqi has directed sugar mills across the province to start crushing from 01 November 2009 so as to save growers from financial losses. The advisor said that the government has set November 01 for the start of crushing but mill boilers have still not been ignited, causing unrest among growers. It is must to ignite boilers 10 days ahead of crushing . If any delay in the crushing is made, the growers will not be able to sow the wheat crop and thus face losses, she said in a statement.

Sugar price in Sindh has risen to an unprecedented level and caused rise in the prices of sweets and other food products made of sugar.It will be a good omen if millers adopt a positive policy this time and launch crushing for the good of the growers and the country, Sharmila said. The advisor said that the arrival of the new sugarcane crop would not only reduce sugar prices to a significant level but also bring down the commodity s price. She asked the mill administrations to extend cooperation with the government and adopt people-friendly policies for the progress of the country. The PPP government is also taking steps to provide lucrative incentives to the industrialists including millers, added Ms Farooqi. She expressed concern over the non-payment of dues to growers by the mill administrations and asked them to ensure immediate payment to them so that they could purchase fertilizer and make arrangements for sowing new crops. She said that the Sindh chief minister had earlier directed sugar mills to finalize arrangements to start the sugarcane crushing season from October 15, but no response to his directive was made. It will be good for sugar mills to start crushing voluntarily from November 01, she asserted. The advisor said, the PPP government is taking steps to introduce new varieties of sugarcane besides providing incentives to farmers. Over 2,500 tractors have been provided to growers to encourage them for raising crop production. The landless farmers including women have also been provided land free of cost by the PPP regime. The mills have never followed crushing season starting date in the past as required by the law and they are also seen committing this mistake this time too, which will be not good for them or the people of the country, she said.—PPI