FAISALABAD, Dec 30: The Pakistan Sugar Mills Workers Federation, the Farmers Association Faisalabad and the Crescent Sugar Mills Workers Association have criticized the mills management to close factories after a tug of war with the growers over the issue of sugarcane price.

In a statement issued here on Friday, Pakistan Sugar Mills Workers Federation secretary general Aslam Miraj said the country had been facing serious problems due to rising prices of sugar. The tussle between the growers and the millowners was going on for the last so many years but it had deteriorated this season due to demand of heavy amounts by the growers for their crop.

He said the government should take the matter seriously and hold a meeting with the sugarcane growers and the millowners to resolve the issue amicably otherwise the national economy would face a serious jolt.

FAF president Mian Tahir Saeed said due to heavy increase in the prices of petroleum products, pesticides, fertilizers and other agricultural inputs, the growers had been left with no option but to enhance the rate of sugarcane to meet their expenses.

He said the mills were earning a huge profit by purchasing the sugarcane from the growers at lower rates.

He said if the government failed to resolve the issue, there would be acute shortage of sugar in the country and the commodity would reach beyond the purchasing capacity of the people.

Crescent Sugar Mills Workers Association president Rana Ijaz Husain said if the tussle between the growers and millsowners was not resolved then the farmers would stop cultivating this cash crop.

They demanded the president and prime minister to take stock of the situation and direct the authorities concerned for the immediate start of crushing.