November 20, 2008	Thursday	Ziqa'ad 21, 1429

GUJRANWALA, Nov 19: Rice dealers are buying paddy at Rs1,000 per 40 kilogramme against the official price of Rs1,500. Farmers have demanded that the government buy their yield to save them from financial losses or they will not cultivate the paddy next year.

Farmers Chaudhry Javed Khan Manj, Saleemullah Cheema and Chaudhry Riaz Ahmad said the government had fixed the price of ‘super’ rice at Rs1,500 per 40kg, but rice dealers and commission agents were offering them Rs1,000 per 40kg.

Rice dealers bought Basmati-85 and Basmati-86 reaped one month ago at Rs1,200-1,300 per 40kg as these varieties are popular in local and international markets. When farmers brought the recently-reaped ‘super' variety of rice to grain markets, commission agents and rice dealers declined to offer them government fixed prices.

Framers alleged dealers bought the yield at throwaway prices and stored it in their godowns to create its artificial shortage in the market. Rice dealers and commission agents said the Food Department was not buying paddy crops and it was hard for rice dealers to offer official prices due to a slump in rice market.