KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah said on Sunday the sugarcane price is not increasing because the cane of Punjab is sold in Sindh at Rs 100 per 40 kg.
This he said while talking to media during his visit to the newly launched schemes in Karachi today morning. The chief minister was accompanied by Local Government Minister Jam Khan Shoro and top officials.
“We have given Rs9.30 additional subsidy on export of sugar so that sugar millers could start crushing, otherwise they were reluctant to start saying that huge quantity of sugar was lying in their go downs,” he said and added “with our efforts, millers have started crushing and now there is the issue of sugarcane price for which we are taking measure to get the growers better price,” he said.
The chief minister accused the federal government of creating this crisis. Had they not imposed ban on the export of sugar, the sugar stocks have not been piled up in the go downs. Replying to another question, Shah said that he was trying to complete all the development schemes being carried out in the city.
Meanwhile, a report from Gambat taluka said that over one thousand farmers continued a mammoth sit-in on National Highway in Gambat on second consecutive day on Sunday in protest against the low price of sugarcane being given by the sugar mills in Sindh and delay in payments of last year’s sugarcane dues.
The sit-in caused 12-kilometer-long traffic jam on both sides of the National Highway as a result, thousands of vehicles, including coaches, buses, wagons, trucks, trailer-trucks and cars stuck up.
Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) and Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz delegations visited the sit-in venue and expressed solidarity with the farmers and their leaders in their struggle against the millers of Sindh. Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz delegation was led by Dr Niaz Kalani. Furthermore, Municipal Committee Gambat Chairman, and Primary Teachers Association Taluka Gambat President Ali Gul Khuhro also visited the sit-in and met leaders of the protest drive.