ISLAMABAD, Dec 8: The senate standing committee on food, agriculture and livestock has underlined the need for introducing farmer-friendly policies to give a boost to the production of sugar in the country.

The committee, which met here on Thursday under the chairmanship of Senator Muhammad Amjad Abbas, unanimously passed a resolution urging the government to fix the minimum price of sugarcane in Punjab at Rs55 per 40kg and Rs60 per 40kg in NWFP and Sindh with a view to ensuring that the farmer gets a suitable remuneration for his hard work. The committee passed the resolution after having a briefing on measures taken by the federal government to protect the interest of sugarcane growers.

Members of the committee were of the view that timely start of the crushing season, ensuring accurate weighing mechanism and timely payment would arrest sugarcane growers’ trend to opt for other crops. It was pointed out that the unbecoming attitude of sugar mill owners had depressed farmers so much so that the growers are not willing to sow sugarcane.

There was a general consensus that a level-playing field should be provided to all stakeholders in the field of sugar industry with a view to ensuring that the industry flourished and the production of sugar did not fall. It was suggested that core sampling of the crop should be ensured for the growth of the sugar industry.

Food, Agriculture and Livestock Minister Sikandar Hayat Khan Bosan said the Sugar Factory Control Act, 1950 needed amendment/improvement to bring it on a par with the present day requirements. He informed the committee that provincial governments had initiated steps aimed at bringing the improvement in the sugar control act. He said that payment to sugarcane growers had always been a major issue in the past, but it was now being handled tactfully and effectively and there were almost no complaints in this regard.

He disclosed that Sindh had witnessed record crops of cotton and sunflower. The province has also reported a record crop of rice this year. He assured the committee that the government was committed to increasing the production of cotton and necessary steps were under study in this regard.

Regarding the measures taken by the government to protect mangoes presently facing chronic disease, the committee was informed that the mango was the second largest fruit of the country grown on the commercial scale in Sindh and Punjab, with a production of 1,035,000 tons. It was told that in recent years, besides other diseases of mango, sudden death problem attained the status of a major malady.

It was further told that all the major varieties of mango were found susceptible to disease and that the soil analysis of infested orchards indicated that the type of soil had no relation with the incidence of disease.