‘Farmers not happy at sugarcane price’

Pakistan Kissan Movement President Hanif Gujjar said farmers were not happy at fixing the sugarcane price at Rs.190 per 40 kg by the provincial government.

In a statement, he said sugar mills of Central Punjab had stopped sugarcane crushing due to unavailability of sugarcane. The mills had increased sugarcane prices to Rs.220 to 250 per 40 kg and farmers started harvesting sugarcane and supplying to mills.

He strongly criticized the attitude of the Punjab government as highlighted in the media that the government is trying to reduce the price of sugar forcibly. Hanif Gujjar said if the price of sugar goes down the farmers will not be able to get a good price of sugarcane from sugar mills. The Pakistan Sugar Mills Association has been highlighting that the cost of producing sugar was Rs.82 – 83 per kg but if the price of sugar prevails at Rs.72 – 73 per kg then there is nothing to get panic, the government should give policy to stabilise sugar prices so that they remain stable and the farmers continue getting good prices of sugarcane which they supply to mills.

He said the wheat crisis was seen looming in Punjab for many months but it is strange the government did not make necessary arrangements. In several districts the wheat crop was totally wiped out due to storm but the government neither took remedial measures to help the farmers nor made arrangements to store surplus wheat; instead 700,000 tons of wheat was exported.