Growers' sugar plant

Why should government give 50% grant for the sugarcane growers co-operative sugar syrup project? In neighbouring India government gives 100% grant and gives priority to sanction grower's projects. In India sugar cooperative sector is very strong and successful. They are the biggest producers of white sugar in the world.
There are over three hundred growers sugar cooperative projects successfully running in India. There are no electricity bills on agri tubewells in India due to grower friendly policies. And the growers interest. The average yield per acre increased from 1000 maunds per acre to 1200 m per acre.
Sugar recovery is 11% to 12% as compare to us our national average yield of sugarcane has dropped from 450 m per acre to 350 m per acre of sugar recovery from 9% to 8% which is alarming for the nation.
Due to these positive factors in favour of growers, they are very prosperous and enjoy strong buying power has emerged in rural India (rural middle class). We propose 50% grant for our growers' sugar plant to increase yield and sugar recovery. Later on it can be increased to 100% grant after seeing the performance this model project.
At present sugarcane growers are at the mercy of 78 unscrupulous sugar millers of our country and they are playing havoc and using all kinds of negative tactics and also blackmailing the government at the expense of growers and consumers.
Millers have miserably failed to help increase the per acre yield and better recovery (sugar contents) in the last sixty years, instead the yield is declining as well as sugar recovery.
According to our study Pakistan agri-sector is only being exploited 20% of its potential. Due to many factors 80% potential is still unexploited. Pakistan economy can take a great leap forward by giving incentives and other facilities to growers at their doorstep.
Since growers are the shareholders of this project naturally they would work hard to increase the per acre yield and increase the quality of sugarcane in their own interests.
At present Pakistan produces costliest sugar in the world. By improving the per acre yield and cane development we can produce cost effective sugar enabling us to export this important commodity.
(The writer is Convenor Sugarcane Growers Association.)