DADU: A large number of growers from various parts of Sindh gathered in Dadu city on Sunday for a protest march against the Sindh government for using delaying tactics in the fixation of rates of sugarcane and paddy in the province. The protest march was organised on the call of Sindh Growers Alliance (SGA).
The march was led by Sindh Abadgar Alliance President Nawaz Zubir Ahmed Talpur and local growers, Meer Asghar Ali Shah, Hakim Ali Punar, Haji Abdullah Panhwar, Haji Saifullah Panhwar, Khalid Hussain Birhmanai, Meer Asgar Ali Shah, Rais Shahnwaz Chandio, Meer Khan Kaloi, M Omer Panhwar and Sirai Abdul Majeed Chandio.
The march patrolled various roads and streets in the city and staged a demonstration in front of Dadu Press Club.
Addressing the march, Nawab Zubir Ahmed Talpur said that because of the wrong policies of Sindh government, the agriculture sector in Sindh was suffering badly. He added that the rates of sugarcane and paddy were not fixed with the consultation of representatives and leaders of growers, terming it as economic murder of the growers in Sindh. He further said that Sindh government was deliberately using delaying tactics in fixation of rates of sugarcane and paddy despite the fact that both crops were ready in millions of acres of fields in Sindh. He also demanded that sugar mills pay their dues to the growers. He warned that if the government continued to delay the fixation of rates, they would launch a series of protests in Sindh.
He demanded from the Sindh government and cane commissioner to direct sugar mills to start the crushing of sugarcane. He also demanded a notification to be issued by the Sindh government, fixing the rates of sugarcane to at least Rs 200 per maund and paddy to Rs 1200 per maund with instructions to sugar mills to start the purchasing of sugarcane from growers.
Growers also observed hunger strike in front of Dadu Press Club for the delay in rate fixation and release of payments from sugar mills including Dadu Sugar Mills Piaro Goth.
Published in Daily Times, November 6th 2017.
