HYDERABAD, Sept 27: The Sindh and Balochistan Rice Millers and Traders Association has expressed concern over closure of a large number of rice mills in Sindh and Balochistan.

The association demanded that the government should direct the Trading Corporation of Pakistan to purchase rice from millers to protect their genuine rights.

The executive committee of the association which met in Larkana on Sunday said that of 750 mills in the two provinces, hardly five per cent had started purchase of rice crop.

Gada Hussain Mahessar presided over the meeting.

As per the proceedings of the meeting, faxed to Dawn on Monday, a large number of rice millers from the two provinces attended the meeting.

The meeting noted that due to heavy rains last year, huge quantity of rice valued at tens of millions of rupees was damaged as a result many millers had become bankrupt and closed their mills.

It said the president and the prime minister were informed about the plight of the rice farmers and millers but they were not provided any relief whatsoever.

The meeting said that due to insensitivity of the government it had become impossible to operate the rice mills.

Rice millers from Balochistan, Seth Shanoomal and Abid Bhangar told the meeting that good crop of rice had been harvested in the province but due to the last year’s huge losses, the millers have not yet started purchase of rice from the growers due to paucity of funds.

Qazi Mushtaq from Mehar, Munir Shaikh from Khairpur Nathan Shah and Aijaz Tunio from Qambar also narrated the similar story.

The meeting observed that five per cent mills which had started purchasing rice could pay only Rs220 to Rs250 per maund.

The meeting urged the government to adopt a similar policy with regards to purchase of rice as has been adopted in case of cotton crop and direct the TCP to purchase rice in case it was not being sold in accordance with the fixed price.

It demanded that the support price of rice be fixed without delay to protect rights of the growers and the millers.

The meeting pointed out that due to the cartel of rice exporters, the rice millers and growers were always exploited and the payment was always delayed.

It proposed that a committee comprising rice exporters, rice millers, growers and representatives of Sindh agriculture department, Export Promotion Bureau and the TCP be appointed to check and control malpractices in rice business.

It said that unless a categorical assurance was given by the government to rice millers that their problems would be resolved in equitable manner, the rice mills would not be made fully operational.

The meeting appealed to the rice growers to support the rice millers in the common cause.