The issue of farmers not getting price for sugarcane as fixed by Sindh and Punjab governments echoed again in National Assembly on Tuesday as members from both opposition and treasury benches urged the government to look into it on a priority basis.
Speaking on the floor of the House, Leader of Opposition Khursheed Shah said the federal and provincial governments had agreed to give subsidy to sugar mills owners as 50:50 while Sindh government is ready to provide its share but the federal government is not honouring its commitment.
He said that it was decided to release Rs 8.6 billion as a subsidy for the sugarcane farmers, but it is yet to be materialized. Shah said that Pakistan is an agro-based country but the farmers are not getting fair price for their produce. He urged the government to resolve the issue at the earliest.
Independent member Jamshed Dasti also highlighted that sugar mills owners are not purchasing the sugarcane from farmers as the people linked to the sugar mafia are sitting in the government. He said the touts of sugar mills owners have been giving Rs 140 per 40kg to farmers for the sugarcane against the provincial government's fixed price of Rs 180.
PML-N member Rana Muhammad Hayat complained that he has been raising the issue for the last many days but it is falling on the deaf ears. He urged the government to arrest the sugar mills owners who have not been giving the fixed price to farmers for sugarcane.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf member Lal Chand Malhi said the Sindh government has been using force against the farmers who have been protesting for not getting the fixed price for sugarcane. He threatened if the issue is not resolved, the farmers in Sindh will protest again on December 23 by blocking the roads.
Responding to all these points, Minister for National Food Security and Research Sikandar Hayat Bosan said the issue is related to Ministry of Commerce, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Industries and Production and the provincial governments. The minister proposed that a committee comprising all the stakeholders should be constituted to resolve the issue.
Minister for Commerce and Textile Pervaiz Malik admitted that sugarcane farmers are not getting the fixed price for their produce, but said that role of his ministry to resolve the issue is limited. Members from opposition parties also staged a walkout from the House in protest against the government for not tabling FATA Reforms Bill for vote. Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, however, assured the opposition members that it is likely that the issue of FATA reforms would be resolved on Wednesday (today).
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