BADIN: Businessmen, traders and shopkeepers kept their businesses closed in the town of Kario Ghanwar in Badin district on Tuesday to express solidarity with paddy growers, who have been running a campaign for a fair rate of their crop.

A call for the shutdown was given by various organisations of growers and supported by several political parties and nationalist groups.

Markets, bazaars, commercial streets, shops and vending stalls in the town and its outskirts remained closed throughout the day.

Paddy growers demand a rate of Rs1,500/40kg without any “unfair” deduction while rice millers are not ready to pay more than Rs1,200/40kg and stop deduction of three-five kilos in weight for moisture.

Published in Dawn, October 16th, 2019