As the Economic Coordination Committee has accepted the sugar mills' major demand and allowed export of 1.5MMT sugar in view of the availability of surplus sugar, the Punjab government has directed the sugar mills to immediately start 2017-18 crushing season. Chief Minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif has directed Secretary Industry and Cane Commissioner to hold a meeting with Sugar Mills Association for the start of crushing season at the earliest. He warned that legal action will be initiated against the sugar mills failing to start the crushing season well in time
He was talking to a delegation of Pakistan Kissan Ittehad, in which price of the sugarcane and start of the crushing season came under discussion. He said the sugar mills are bound to purchase sugarcane from the farmers at the rate of Rs 180 per maund and legal action will be initiated against the sugar mills buying sugarcane on fewer prices. He assured that payment of Rs 180 per maund sugarcane to the farmers will be ensured at every cost.
He further assured that reimbursement of pending dues of the farmers from the mills will also be ensured. He divulged that he even got FIRs registered against his relatives who failed to pay dues to the farmers. He recalled that the provincial government had given relief to the farmers through the historic Kissan Package worth billions of rupees along with provision of a subsidy of billions of rupees on fertilizers. He will arrange a farmers' meeting with the federal minister Awais Leghari to solve the issue of arrears of the electricity. Provincial Minister for Law Rana Sanaullah, secretaries of agriculture and industry departments, Commissioner Lahore Division, CCPO Lahore and Cane Commissioner Punjab were present on the occasion.