December 24, 2008	Wednesday	Zilhaj 25, 1429

SUKKUR, Dec 23: Recent rainfall in upper Sindh has played havoc with the growers of rice as more than 50 per cent of the harvested paddy crop, lying in the open, has almost been ruined, causing losses of millions of rupees to the growers of the rice-growing belt consisting of Larkana, Qambar-Shahdadkot, Shikarpur, Jacobabad and Kashmore.

According to statistics gathered from these areas, 201,600 tons of paddy was produced in Larkana and Qambar-Shahdadkot districts, while the yield in Jacobabad stood at 134,400 tons, Shikarpur generated 106,400 tons and Kashmore managed 166,400 tons.

The cash crop, which was lying in the open due to the slow buying by Passco and the rice mill owners, was almost damaged by winter spell that lashed Sindh.

The downpour played havoc with the paddy growers, and according to reports, more than 50 per cent of the harvested crop was damaged, causing loss of millions of rupees to the growers.

The Sindh Abadgar Board information secretary G.M. Khoso told this correspondent that due to wrong policy of Passco and monopoly of the rice mill owners, hundreds of thousands of tons of paddy was lying in the open and the recent rainfall added to the miseries of the growers, as they have lost almost half of their yield.

He said that Passco high-ups had promised to establish 150 procurement centres throughout Larkana region, but so far it could come up only with 71 centres, while not a single procurement centre could be established in Kashmore.

After disappointing attitude of the Passco, the growers rushed to the rice mill owners and they, too, exploited the growers and forced them to sell their crop at throwaway price.

He further said that earlier the rice mill owners were purchasing paddy for Rs500 per 40 kilograms, but now they were pressurising the growers to sell it for Rs400 per 40 kilogram, which is quite unjustifiable.

He demanded of the government to announce a waiver with regards to repayment of water and other taxes and write-off agriculture loans to make the growers to take a sigh of relief.