THATTA, July 3: Growers of Thatta have threatened to launch a protest campaign next week against delay in payment of their dues by four sugar mills of the district.

Talking to journalists, representatives of various growers’ forums said the Shah Murad Sugar Mills, Laar Sugar Mills, Deewan Sugar Mills and the Al-Asif Sugar Mills had paid Rs40 per 40 kilograms to growers against the fixed rate of Rs43 per 40kgs at the time of delivery of sugarcane.

They said the mills had promised in writing that arrears of Rs3 per 40kgs would be paid on the closure of the crushing season but growers had not paid the amount despite the lapse of three months.

They said growers had suffered huge losses due to low price of sugarcane, shortage of water and high prices of agricultural inputs.

OIL DISCOVERED: Huge deposits of oil have been discovered in the Jati taluka of the Thatta district.

The land adviser, British Petroleum, Deedar Ahmad Soomro, said the Jeco Western Company of Germany had recently completed its survey about presence of oil and gas reservoirs in the coastal belt of Thatta.