The Pakistan Kisan Movement has urged the government to announce a reasonable price of sugarcane for the upcoming crushing season, so that farmers will be able to recover their cost of production in case of any unreasonable price structure of sugarcane and sugar will not only put the industry into trouble but also stuck up the dues of the farmers' community.
While welcoming the announcement of deadline for start of crushing in Pakistan, Secretary General of Pakistan Kissan Movement Chaudhry Hanif Gujjar said that the government should also announce the minimum support price for sugarcane and sugar immediately so that there would be a win-win situation for both the growers and the industry.
It may be noted that the government has set October 15 in Sindh and November 1 in Punjab for start of crushing. Gujjar hailed the announcement of dates for start of crushing in Sindh and Punjab, adding that the government should now announce minimum support prices of raw material and end product.
However, he warned that minimum support price of sugarcane should be suitable to the farmers and industry simultaneously, as any problem with either of the stakeholders will put the whole idea of minimum support price in jeopardy.
Recalling the past when the farmers were in a state of uncertainty over the last few years due to sudden jumps in the minimum support price that had also hit the production cost of the industry and eventually the consumer was forced to pay high price for substandard quality sugar imported from India, which injurious to health too.
He said Pakistan needs a consistent sugar policy to ensure producing enough sugar for the country's requirement. He criticised the policy makers for looking towards India for agro-based requirements while country can be self-sufficient in agriculture based raw material if policy makers take the farmers into confidence.
Gujjar said he hoped the government would announce a minimum support price of sugarcane in consultation with all stakeholders to ensure a prosperous and healthy sugar sector of Pakistan.
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