LARKANA, Nov 29: Trade activities in the rice market of Shahdadkot remained suspended on Tuesday as no farmer came to sell paddy, protesting against low procurement price.

The farmers, under the banner of the Sindh Abadgar Board, observed a hunger strike at the Koto-Moto chowk.

They also held a demonstration, demanding adequate rates for paddy.

Former Senator Mir Aamir Magsi joined the protesters and supported farmers’ demand.

He said that why should Sindh’s chief minister worry about growers of the paddy belt as rice was not cultivated in his area.

SAB leaders called for fixing of support price of IRRI-6 and IRRI-9 varieties of paddy no less than Rs450 per 40 kilogram.

They said sale of paddy of the two varieties at lower rates was causing financial losses to them as they could hardly clear their bank loans.

They expressed concern over indifferent attitude of the government and elected representatives towards the problem.

They said the protest would continue till setting up of Passco procurement centres in major rice markets of the upper Sindh and fixing of support price of paddy.

DADU: A large number of farmers staged a demonstration in Mehar town on Tuesday to protest against local rice traders and rice millers for decreasing rate of paddy.

Farmers Khadim Janwari, Qurban Lakhiar and Roshan Mughal led the protesters.

They said that paddy traders with the support of rice millers had decreased rates of paddy from Rs400 to Rs270 per maund hence farmers were sustaining losses.

They demanded that the government should fix paddy prices Rs400 per maund.