HYDERABAD, July 5: The Sindh Abadgar Board has called upon Federal Minister for Food and Agriculture Sikandar Hayat Bosan that any amendment to the Sugarcane Act should be made after a court decision on the issue of quality premium.

In a communication addressed to the federal minister, SAB president Abdul Majeed Nizamani said that the point needed to be kept in mind because recommendations were being finalised to bring about amendments in the Sugarcane Act.

He said that it was earlier decided that inputs would be invited from stakeholders before amending the act.

He said that representatives of farmers’ bodies which were main stakeholders had not been taken into confidence.

He opposed the proposed changes in the nomenclature of “Sugarcane Act” into “Sugar Act”.

He said that the pricing formula was also being introduced. The SAB chief said that if farmers were not taken on board, amendments in the act would remain a question mark.

He reminded the minister that the next sugarcane season was round the corner and the fact should not be lost sight of.

Mr Nizamani said that the start of crushing season had always remained a controversial issue and even the government had had problems in enforcing its own notifications.

He said that once a notification was issued by the government about the start of crushing season, it must be implemented in letter and spirit.

He called upon the provincial government that the date of the next crushing season should be announced as per the existing law and practices without waiting for the amended law which would take sometime for promulgation.