Indian sugar: farmers urge government to take action against pro-Indian officials

A monthly general body meeting of the Pakistan Kissan Movement has discussed in detail the likely dumping of Indian sugar and termed any such effort against farmers' interests with several farmers from across the Punjab attending the meeting with Chaudhry Ashfaque in the chair, an association spokesman said here on Wednesday.
The movement members aired their concern over press reports suggesting about hidden activities of Indian mafia in sugar business trying to dump poor quality Indian sugar in connivance with vested interest elements amongst policymakers.
They feared a drastic drop in prices of sugarcane in case Indian sugar is dumped at a time when farmers are about to harvest their bumper sugarcane crop while the country would have surplus sugar stocks.
According to them, the growers, having bumper crop of sugar this year, may fail to get minimum support price of Rs 60 per maund sugarcane once government let the Indian dump its sugar ahead of the crushing start.
According to them, the farmers in India were getting Rs 46 per maund for their sugarcane and farmers in Pakistan would have to face havoc like situation if industry pays them the same price as the Indian farmers were getting in India.
They said the Pakistan Sugar Mills Association has already clarified that it would not be in a position to pay Rs 60 per maund in case Indian sugar is dumped in Pakistan.
The farmers urged President General Pervez Musharraf to take stock of the situation and take appropriate action against the pro-India officials among policy makers. The farmers would not let the prices of sugarcane be reduced and appealed to the President of Pakistan to intervene and take action against pro-India and enemies of Pakistan farmers who are bent upon destroying the backbone of the country.