Farmers ask govt to continue sugar export

Our correspondent

LAHORE

Growers have urged the government to formulate friendly policies for agriculture sector and keep on exporting sugar for the welfare of sugarcane farmers. They were participating in a meeting of Pakistan Kissan Movement, which was held here on Wednesday.

Farmers criticised Punjab Minister for Industries, Commerce and Investment Mian Aslam lqbal who chaired a meeting in which Punjab Ministers Hussain Bahadur Dareshak, Sami Ullah Chaudhary and Noman Langrial were also present. In the said meeting of provincial ministers, it was decided to write a letter to the federal government to recommend stoppage of export of sugar. The farmers said due to export of sugar, price of sugar was stabilised in the country. Resultantly, this year farmers were able to get good price of sugarcane. They said if export of sugar is stopped, the prices of sugar would decrease. Consequently, sugarcane growers will receive low prices of their produce. Farmers said Pakistan badly needs foreign exchange. If export of surplus sugar continues government will receive foreign exchange while the price of sugar would be stabilised and farmers would get good price of sugarcane. On the contrary, farmers will not be able to receive right price for their produce, in case of a ban on sugar export. The farmers urged the government to formulate farmers' friendly policies and keep on exporting sugar for the welfare of sugarcane growers.