KARACHI: The Sindh High Court on Wednesday extended stay order against the new sugarcane price set by the Sindh government.

A bench of the high court heard sugar mills owners’ petition against the sugarcane price. The provincial government had fixed the price of commodity at Rs250 per 40 kilograms.

The bench, with consent of the parties, adjourned further hearing of the case until December 15.

Sindh’s 17 sugar mills have challenged the new price in a petition calling the price unviable for the millers. The high court has restrained the government from taking any action against the petitioners.

The controversy over the sugar cane price has been a regular feature of the crushing season for last several years.

The Sindh Cabinet in November decided to fix the minimum support price for sugarcane at Rs250 per 40kg. The cabinet session also proposed beginning of crushing season by November 15.

Adviser to the CM on Agriculture, Manzoor Wassan also briefed the provincial cabinet on the support price of the wheat.

The government of Sindh had fixed the support price of 40kg wheat at Rs2000 for the harvest season of 2020-21, the adviser said. The federal government however, fixed the support price of 40kg wheat at Rs1800 for the 2020-21 season, provincial adviser briefed.

“Agriculture department had proposed increase in the wheat support price owing to hike in input prices particularly in fertilizer and diesel rates,” he said.

The cabinet directed the agriculture department to consult over the support price of wheat with the stakeholders.