MUZAFFARGARH, Nov 25: Middlemen and millers are exploiting sugarcane farmers in Muzaffargarh, the former by offering less rates and the latter by delaying crushing season, Dawn has learnt.

Muzaffargarh is home to three sugar mills but none has started crushing season. Many a middlemen of sugar mills from other districts such as Rahim Yar Khan, Layyah and Bahawalpur have set up their stalls on Dera Ghazi Khan Road and Taunsa Road. They lure the sugarcane farmers by offering instant cash for their crop. They, however, offer only Rs70 per 40kg against the official price of Rs80 per 40kg.

Desperate farmers who are in need of money and are eager to sow wheat because of its lucrative rates are left with no other option, but to sell their yield for loss.

Nasir Khan Almani, a union council nazim, said crushing season should have begun by the end of October as by that time the crop was ready to be reaped. He alleged the mills had delayed the crushing season because they wanted the farmers to miss the wheat sowing period.

He said farmers wanted to turn to wheat partly because of its good rates this year and partly because of exploitation of sugar mills which delayed their payments.

He said the Sindh government paid Rs5 transportation charges to farmers per 40kg sugarcane. He demanded the Punjab government also adapt such a policy.

Rai Mohsin Ali Borana, union council nazim of Nohan Wali, also criticised the government for its failure to monitor sugar mills.

According to an Agricultural Department official, sugarcane was cultivated on 100,000 acres in the district. When contacted, Muhammad Naeem, admin officer of Tandlanwali sugar mills, said they would begin the crushing season by the end of November.