The rice millers of Sindh and Balochistan are facing a very alarming situation as they have 0.1 million tonnes of D-98 rice stocks in their godowns awaiting buyers.
Sindh Balochistan Rice Millers and Traders Association (SBRMTA) President Gada Hussain Mehessar has said this on Wednesday.
He said that their rice was waiting to be purchased by Trading Corporation of Pakistan (TCP) and Export Promotion Bureau of Pakistan (EPB). Without marketing of that accumulated D-98 variety, the millers would be unable to clear the cash finance of the banks that was due to be cleared by August 31.
The SBRMTA President said that D-98 was a late sowing crop due to non-availability and acute shortage of irrigation water.
Mehessar said that if the stored rice was not sold, the millers would be unable to purchase crop of D-98 which was to start arriving from October, adding the cost of 0.1 million metric tonnes of D-98 rice was not less than 2,000 million.
He appealed the Federal government to take steps for the export of that huge quantity of D-98 within shortest possible time to emancipate the millers and the rice growers from harm and trouble and provide them relief.
SBRMTA President further requested that the rice exporters of Punjab should be refrained from putting hindrance in floating tenders for the disposing of D-98 (Sindh Basmati) to Sri Lanka.