BADIN: Otherwise jubilant over the timely and sufficient rainfall in Sindh and certain other factors contributing to what they believe a bumper rice crop, now ready to reap, paddy growers are facing an uncertain situation with regard to the sale of their produce. Market pulse has started sending disappointing messages to them as millers, realising availability of the commodity in abundance over the next few weeks, are likely to offer very low rates.

The middlemen, who always take the side of millers in bargaining with growers, have been at work to make up growers’ mind predicting a rate much lower than what growers expect this season. The trend has already sparked calls from growers of Badin district for government’s intervention to fix an official rate in order to save them from suffering heavy losses.

Badin is one of the biggest rice producing zone of the country. According to official figures, paddy has been grown over more than 155,000 hectares this year which may lead to a record yield of the chief crop of this region in Kharif season. Growers of Shaheed Fazil Rahu (formerly Golarchi) taluka are sure about a bumper crop while those of Matli, Talhar, Tando Bago and other areas also expect a high yield. Harvesting in most parts of the district has already begun.

Allah Bachayo Rahukro, a paddy grower of Talhar and a leader of the Laar Abadgar Forum, told Dawn that harvesting within the areas fed through Akram Wah and Phuleli Canal, had picked up momentum and the crop was likely to arrive in the market very soon.

Many growers speaking to this reporter in Tando Bago, Matli and Talhar complained that they were being forced to dispose of their produce at Rs750-Rs800 per 40 kg to millers. The rates do not commensurate with even the cost of production, according to them.

Wali Hyder Memon, a farmer from Tando Bago taluka, explained that with the use of hybrid seed, the per acre cost came to a minimum of Rs25,000, which meant that selling the produce at the offered rates would leave growers without or a negligible return.

Mr Memon argued that millers fully realised that growers had no other option but to accept the offered rates as government was unlikely to timely fix official rates for various verities and set up procurement centres to lift the crop.

Millers have their own arguments. Zulfikar Ali Dal, who owns a rice mill in Dei town, told this reporter that his side could not jump into a competition until being informed that how much stocks would be lifted by government for exports. “Millers are never taken into confidence by the relevant departments in this regard,” he said, adding that millers had a bitter experience in past years due to the uncertainty. “We have even suffered heavy losses individually after procuring the crop amid an uncertain situation,” he said.

Mr Iqbal Haider, a water expert from Badin, pointed out that growers of tail-end areas of Badin, Tando Bago and Shaheed Fazil Rahu had lately started sowing due to late arrival of water. He attributed the unfair treatment to lethargy and mismanagement on the part of the irrigation officials concerned. “Those harvesting the crop in the August-September period may never get proper yield sufficient enough to cover the cost of production,” he said.

Mustafa Ayaz Mehri, a grower from Kario Ghanwar, said the areas which were timely provided water would give a record yield this season. He said the process of the harvesting would also continue for a record three months.

Published in Dawn, October 1st, 2017