Pakistan Muttahida Kisan Mahaz has given 24 hours deadline to Pakistan Agriculture Storage and Supplies Corporation (Passco) to start procurement of paddy from the growers, otherwise, the growers would besiege its offices.
The growers held a public meeting on Narowal Road on Sunday, which was addressed by PKM President Ayub Khan Mayo and other prominent Basmati growers of the area.
They criticised the government's agricultural policies and said that by reducing the Basmati procurement price from last year's Rs 1500 per 40Kg to Rs 1250 per 40 Kg, the government has robed the poor farmers of billions of rupees. They said that the farmers have produced more than 6.3 million tons of rice this year, out of which Passco has procured just 10,000 tons of paddy so far though the farmers needed money on the occasion of Eidul Azha.