DERA ISMAIL KHAN, Feb 4: District Nazim, district coordinating officer, tehsil Nazim and representatives of four sugar mills have held talks to discuss and solve grievances of the sugarcane growers.

They met at local Circuit House this morning.

Sugarcane, which is a cash crop, is being cultivated in thousands of acres of land in D.I.Khan which caters to the need of Chashma Sugar Mills in Dera Ismail Khan, Fecto Sugar Mills in Darya Khan, District Bhakkar (Punjab) and Sarai Naurang Sugar Mills in Bannu District.

The growers produce thousands of tons of sugarcane every year, but their hardships often prove fruitless owing to the monopolist attitude of mills administrations.

This year, too, tons of sugarcane was lying in the fields getting dry and mills administration, especially of Chashma Sugar Mills, was totally tough towards the growers. Chamber of agriculture had moved the case of the growers owing to which the talks were held for listening both the sides.

After a detailed discussion, it was noted that the CSM has a total crushing capacity of 600 tones per day and that Chashma Sugar Mills would make its 80 per cent purchase from local growers.

It was also decided that no middleman would be issued with any indent and the present system of indents would be totally discouraged as some specific professionals had put these indents on open sale to the farmers.

The meeting decided that out of a total capacity of 193 carriages per day,  Bannu Sugar Mills would make its total purchases from southern districts of the NWFP and no carriage would be honoured from Punjab.

Earlier, more than 50 carriages per day from Punjab were being purchased by these mills. All the representatives of the three mills assured that payments to the growers would be made easy and rapid.

However, it was regrettable that no sugar cane grower was allowed to join the talks and represent their community.