The Senate Standing Committee on National Food Security and Research has expressed serious concern and disappointment over the fact that all the provincial governments remained unable to implement minimum price of sugarcane fixed by Sindh High Court. The committee met here with Senator Syed Muzaffar Hussain Shah in the chair at the Parliament House on Wednesday. The committee discussed the issues relating to sugarcane price, sugar export and land of Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC).
The committee members expressed concern that cultivation of sugarcane will be seriously affected this year and sugarcane growers will shift to other crops. The committee in its meeting expressed deep concern and disappointment that sugarcane growers in all provinces of Pakistan are not being paid appropriately and minimum price fixed by Sindh High Court is not being implemented by the provincial governments.
The committee chairman said that this situation is created due to bad planning of the government, adding reported rebate of sugar export will only benefit the sugar mill owners. The committee members said that the amount should be made available for farmers through cutting down production cost of sugarcane crop. The federal government had also directed provinces to resolve problems confronting farmers, especially sugarcane growers who have not been paid their dues by provincial authorities and mill owners.
Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi had also stated although the issue of sugarcane growers falls in purview of provincial governments, the federal government and the federal cabinet have taken serious notice of the issue. "The provinces should fulfill their responsibilities and ensure timely purchase of crop and payment to the growers according to the notified rates," the Prime Minister said. The Sindh High Court on January 16 had directed sugar mills owners to purchase sugarcane from growers at the price of Rs 172 per 40-kg till further orders.
According to growers, mill owners had refused to accept any price even over Rs 130 per 40-kg. They said that the mill owners are not paying the rate of Rs 172/40-kg as fixed by the court. The committee reviewed the overall performance of the standing committee during the last three years which included resolving the matter of 1,400 acres of land of Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC) by repeated instructions and consistent determination, passage of seed amendment bill and plant breeders Act, resolving the matter of irregular appointments in Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited (ZTBL), resolving wheat procurement issue between Sindh government and PASSCO, and making the Kunri Chilli Drying Plant operational.
Minister for National Food Security and Research, Sikandar Hayat Khan Bosan said that it is responsibility of the provincial governments to ensure purchase of sugarcane from growers at fixed official price in order to protect and safeguard farmers from exploitation. "After passage of the 18th Constitutional Amendment, agriculture became a provincial subject.
All provincial governments are responsible for fixing sugarcane price as well as monitoring its implementation. The provincial governments are also responsible for making all arrangements to start sugarcane crushing on time to ensure a maximum rate of return to the growers," the minister said.
The committee recommended to the federal and provincial governments to evolve a mechanism to have a fair and reasonable price of sugarcane in Pakistan. The minister also told the committee that after hectic efforts Pakistan Central Cotton Committee (PCCC), which was previously managed by the Ministry of Textile, has now come under the control of the Ministry of National Food Security and Research.
The committee decided that the upcoming committee will have the work of PCCC on its agenda and will monitor its functions. Senators M Hamza, Mohsin Khan Leghari and Zafarullah Khan Dhandla, Minister for National Food Security and Research, Sikandar Hayat Khan Bosan, secretary National Food Security and Research, MD PASSCO and other officials from the ministry attended the meeting.
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