BADIN, Jan 10: The standoff between growers and sugar mill owners has reached a critical point in Badin district as the growers have threatened to burn sugarcane crop if the government failed to implement the decision, regarding the sugarcane’s purchase price.

They also vowed not to supply sugarcane to the sugar mills below the price, fixed by the government.

The growers further threatened to switch over to other crops.

Meanwhile, the sugar mills are also facing crisis because of the short supply of sugarcane. However, they are not prepared to purchase sugarcane at the government rate until provision of financial assistance by the government.

Meanwhile, the sugar mills in Badin are reportedly purchasing huge quantities of firewood to keep their boilers in operational condition.

The people of Kadhan village said that the price of the firewood may double if the millers continued their heavy purchases.

Sources in the sugar mills said that the mill owners are also contemplating to purchase a vast area of land and cultivate sugarcane crop themselves. This, they said, would resolve their problems once and for all.

The sources said that at two out of the five sugar mills in the district own large areas of the lands, where they had cultivated sugar crops, and they could get their sugar mills operating within the next few days.

Meanwhile, the middlemen are reported to have become active in areas around Badin, and are seen purchasing sugarcane from the growers.