HYDERABAD, Jan 10: The Sindh Small Growers Association has threatened to hold protest demonstrations throughout the province if the Sindh government withdraws its notification fixing the minimum price of sugarcane at Rs60 per 40kg.

Speaking at a news conference at the press club here on Monday, association president Dewan Arumal and central committee members Noor Ahmad Katiar and Hassan Chandio accused the Sindh chapter of the Pakistan Sugar Mills Association of blackmailing and practising hooliganism. Small growers suffered losses of billions of rupees at the hands of the PSMA. Following the closure of sugar mills, the harvested cane crop had been destroyed, they added.

Mr Arumal alleged that the Sindh government was in league with the PSMA and due to this alliance, the government was not taking action against mill owners for violating its orders.

Quoting instances, he said that in 2003-04, the Sindh government fixed the minimum price of sugarcane at Rs43 per 40kgs but due to blackmailing of the PSMA, it issued another notification reducing the price to Rs41 per 40kgs. Consequently, he added, growers suffered a loss of Rs600 million.

He said that during the current season, the government fixed the minimum price of sugarcane at Rs60 per 40kgs but later it reduced the price to Rs58 per 40kgs without mentioning anything about the payment of quality premium. He said this would cause growers a loss of Rs2 billion.

He regretted that while taking the decisions, representatives of small growers had not been invited to joint meetings of the government, PSMA and representatives of what they called other pocket growers’ organizations.

Mr Arumal demanded that Rs190 million of growers lying with sugar mills as trust under the head of surcharge should be paid to them without delay as decided by the Sindh cabinet on Aug 7, 2002.

He said sugar mills should be directed to clear dues of growers within seven days after the supply of sugarcane as per provisions of the sugarcane act. He said outstanding 35 per cent quality premium for 1998-99 should be paid to small growers. He further said the outstanding amount of quality premium for 2002-03 should be disclosed and the minimum price of sugarcane for the current season should be fixed at Rs80 per 40kgs.

He demanded that a huge amount of growers outstanding against the Sindh Sugar Corporation in respect of Thatta and Dadu sugar mills for 1991-92 should be paid forthwith.

Mr Arumal further said that assessment of crop should be conducted in presence of growers and bills should be issued to them at least one month before the harvesting period.