BADIN, Nov 2: The sugarcane growers of Badin district criticized the disdainful attitude of the sugar mill owners who have adopted delaying tactics to start crushing of sugarcane.

This was stated by the sugarcane growers, Ghulam Mustafa Bhurgari, Shaikh Salamat Ali, Haji Wali Mohammad Bhurgari, A. Jurio Mehranpoto, Azizullah Dero and others at a press conference in Nindo Shaher on Saturday.

They said that the managements of the sugar mills in the district were violating the orders of the government and remained stuck to their own assertions for not running their mills till the government resolved all their problems.

“We have nothing to do with the problems of the sugar mill owners, which are always raised at the time of harvesting of crops, and the government itself should either enforce implementation of its orders or allow permits to the farmers for manufacturing jaggery to save them from heavy losses,” the growers said.

They said that uneasiness and uncertainty prevailed among the cane cultivators, which would adversely affect the sugarcane cultivation and force growers to switch over to other crops, which might collapse the sugar industry.

About Pakistan Sugar Mills’ Association’s meeting with the government, they said that such meetings were usually a sheer waste of time and achieved no results.

However, they said, it would be in the interest of sugar mill owners to realise the importance of the problems of the growers and rationalize their stand; otherwise they would have no choice but to cultivate other crops in order to survive.

The growers demanded that the government ensure immediate crushing of the crops, else they would boycott supply of their produce to the mills.

They threatened to manufacture jaggery with the leftovers of sugarcane used by the small mills.

DEMO: The farmers of Tando Bago Tehsil, held a demonstration in Tando Bago against the sugar mill owners for keeping their sugar factories inoperative.