March 11, 2008	Tuesday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 2, 1429

MUZAFFARGARH, March 10: Dozens of farmers on Monday protested against Fatima, Sheikhu and Tandlianwala sugar mills for non-payment of dues and also blocked the road for two hours.

The farmers announced that they would never commit `mistake of growing sugarcane’ in future. They criticised the government officials for not taking any action against the sugar millers.

They alleged that mills owners were giving low rates to farmers and did not make payments on-time.

According to the agriculture department, sugarcane is grown over 100,000 acre area in Muzaffargarh district and there are three sugar mills here. But this crop is insufficient for three mills.

At the beginning of the sugarcane season, the district coordination officer had banned inter-district movement of cane. Later on, the district government removed the ban on the insistence of acting distrct nazim Allah Dad Khar.

Malik Khalid Khar, the president of Farmers Association of Kot Addu tehsil, claimed that farmers had decided to stop cultivation of sugarcane.

He said at the start of the season, farmers had to face the Mealy Bug attack, then shortage of DAP, and now low rates of sugarcane and delay in payment.

Khalid Khar said last week when the farmers had blocked the road in Sanawan against the behaviour of Sheikhu mills management, then he met the respective officials to solve these problems. He said mills manager Tasawer Naqvi had promised to resolve the issues but no practical step had been taken.

When contacted, Tasawer Naqvi was not available for comments.