LAHORE, Nov 19: In the absence of a new board to fix sugarcane price, the Punjab cane commissioner on Wednesday notified Rs40 per 40 kilogramme and cess of 50 paisa as interim support price.

Commissioner Nasim Nawaz told Dawn that since crushing season was about to start in the province, growers and millers wanted support price to be fixed. But the government had still not constituted a board for the purpose.

In these circumstances, he decided to maintain last year’s support price and cess rate, he added.

Since there was no major change in the price of inputs and sugar throughout the year, so it was logical to maintain the price and cess rate, Mr Nawaz argued. Talking about the delay in payment to growers, the commissioner conceded that tension existed and the situation could be worsened if not handled with care. For this reason, every stakeholder should remain careful.

Though the mills in the Punjab had cleared more than 98 per cent of their dues, the remaining two per cent, also in millions of rupees, needed to be cleared immediately, he added. Fortunately, the carryover stocks problem has been solved which could clear the way for early payment to growers and rid the industry of prolonged tension, he said. —Staff Reporter