Sugarcane growers

Sugarcane is an important cash crop of Pakistan. A number of sugar mills have been established for the manufacture of sugar in the country. Also, some portions of sugarcane crop is used for the manufacture of ‘gur’ in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP). According to market reports, gur making has been started in sugarcane producing districts of Peshawar, Charsadda, Mardan, Malakand etc. However, the rates offered in the market to farmers are low.

According to market experts, the drop in the rates of gur is due to non-export of this commodity to Afghanistan and Central Asian states. If this trend continues, the rates are likely to go further down. The KP government should take proper steps to export gur to other countries which will not only save sugarcane growers from financial losses, but will earn the much-needed foreign exchange for the country.

Khan Faraz

Peshawar