MUZAFFARGARH, Oct 22: Farmers of the district have delayed cotton picking after local ginners stopped procurement of yield because of heavy loadshedding, Dawn has learnt.

The delay in cotton picking can affect timely sowing of wheat crop. But, the farmers have announced there will be no large-scale wheat sowing in the district and they will sow the crop only for their own use in protest against government’s lack of interest in ensuring reasonable cotton rates.

Talking to Dawn, many farmers said ginners had stopped buying cotton because of heavy loadshedding so they too had to delay the picking.

The wheat sowing season will begin from Nov 1, simultaneously with cane crushing season.

Malik Mureed Abbas, a local farmer, complained that sugar mills’ owners were not informing the farmers about the sugarcane price fixed by the government, and their agents were buying cane at lower than the official price (Rs80 per 40kg).

Meanwhile, about a dozen local cultivators have formed a district farmers’ association led by PPP MNA Jamshed Ahmad Khan Dasti.

At the first meeting of the association held here on Wednesday, Mr Dasti said he would raise farmers’ issues in the assembly and also look into the complaints against some sugar mills and cotton factories allegedly exploiting farmers.

Some of the farmers regretted that when Shah Mahmood Qureshi was in opposition he was leading the farmers, but after coming into power he had forgotten them.

GREEN TRACTORS: The Green Tractor Scheme will be launched in the district from Thursday (today).