Sindh Minister for Agriculture Ali Nawaz Shah has said that at present 18 sugar mills are in the process of crushing of sugarcane, while the boilers of nine (9) more sugar mills are on, and will start crushing soon. He said that except a few sugar mills like Meham sugar mills, Matiyari sugar mills, Ghotki sugar mills etc, other sugar mills are not receiving sugarcane properly, with the result that the process of crushing is being affected.
He added that the mills require at least 130,000 maunds of sugarcane for crushing process daily. The mills are receiving sugarcane up to 10,000 to 15,000 maunds, and the slow supply is affecting the crushing process. The Minister stressed the growers and Khatedars to supply early sugarcane to sugar mills for crushing. He has requested Namardar's to cooperate and play their positive role so as to provide early relief to common men.
He said that with the arrangements of the Sindh Government 1,300 tons sugar had reached the market up to Friday, November 13, and the delivery of sugar at the rate of Rs 36 per kg has been made to wholesale market, while the retailers will be provided sugar at the rate of Rs 40 per kg on retail sale in shops.
The Minister said that the provincial government is thankful to High Court of Sindh that 2200 tons sugar has been handed over to Sindh Agriculture Department. This 2.2 million kg is to be sold to general public through Jumma Bazaars, Bachat Bazaars and retail shops on retail pries of Rs 40 per kg.
APP adds: Eight sugar mills out of a total of 45 in Punjab have started sugar production while the remaining are ready to operate subject to the availability of required sugarcane. Provincial Cane Commissioner Shahid Hussain Chaudhry told APP on Monday that Pattoki, Ittehad, Hamza, JW, United, Hussain, Indus and Rahim Yar Khan Sugar mills have started production.
He said two of the mills were out of order while one of them had not been functional in Pasrur due to the unavailability of sugarcane while the remaining mills have made their boilers operational to kick off the crushing season. He said the sugar mills have a crushing capacity of 328,900 metric ton per day while the estimated sugar consumption requirement of people of the province is nearly 2,362,000 metric ton.