MULTAN, Dec 14: The Mango Growers Association (MGA) has criticized the government for charging water rate twice a year from mango orchards which produce only once during the period.

A meeting of the MGA executive committee was held here on Friday under the chairmanship of its president Zahid Gardezi.

The meeting termed the twice recovery of water rate (abiana) unjustified particularly in the backdrop of acute water shortage in canals.

The MGA executive committee called for the installation of tubewells for farm use under official patronage besides the provision of subsidized fuel and electricity.

Presenting his report on the subject, the provincial committee on quick decline of mango trees chairman Mian Salim Kamlana said the research on the menace had still not been completed. Scientists had to employ applied research to shook off the disease.

Cold chain committee chairman Zahid Gardezi opined that modern techniques had to be adopted to maintain standard and quality of the fresh fruit and vegetables for export purposes.

The meeting urged the banks not to start their recovery campaign in August every month for that was the time when mango orchards had started earning.