HYDERABAD: The Sindh Chamber of Agriculture (SCA) has rejected the decision taken by the Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan (REAP) on weight deduction in transactions involving rice crop. The deduction is applied on the grounds of moisture in the rice and the percentage of broken grain.

In a statement issued on Thursday, SCA president Miran Mohammad Shah urged the federal and provincial caretaker governments to take notice of REAP’s decision and intervene in the matter to end exploitation of farmers.

He described the decision as a “dacoity on the rights of Sindh’s rice growers”.

The decision allows exporters or buyers one-kilo deduction for 15 to 15.5 per cent moisture and two kilos for 15.5 to 16 per cent moisture. In case of 21 to 30 per cent ratio of broken rice, two paisa per kg is to be deducted. The RECP also decided to deduct six paisa per kilo if the ratio of broken rice appeared 31 to 35 per cent and 10 paisa per kilo if the ratio varied between 36 and 40 per cent.

SCA describes move as ‘dacoity on farmers’ rights’

Mr Shah said these ratios of deductions had been notified by REAP. He stated that the SCA was seriously concerned over this decision and rejected it.

He maintained that price hike had affected all and cost of inputs like seed, fertiliser, diesel and pesticides and agricultural implements had increased considerably. He said on the one hand, per acre cost of production had increased and, on the other, adequate prices were not offered to growers.

He said that growers were facing quite a difficult position. He said that this would not be tolerated by the SCA. He said that REAP’s notification would not be accepted because it was a dacoity on the rights of rice growers of Sindh. He said such a decision to cut rice crop on the grounds of moisture and broken grain ratio was simply unacceptable.

He called for payment of adequate price to growers and said that Pakistan had an agrarian economy and its 70pc population was associated with the farm sector. He said that instead of promoting this sector, it was being destroyed. He urged federal and provincial caretaker governments to take notice of REAP’s decision and intervene in the matter.

Published in Dawn, September 15th, 2023