SANGHAR, Nov 27: A seminar held here on Wednesday in connection with “grow more wheat campaign” was marred by chaos as farmers boycotted the event when DCO Khuda Bux Larik rose to speak.

Hassan Askari, Chaudhry Niaz, Umer Khattak, Shamsuddin Nizamani and many others stood up and said that selected people were called on the stage who only praised the officials.

Highlighting growers’ problems, they said that water at tail-end of canals was not available, ginners had fixed cotton price at the rate of Rs1,300 per 40kg and (in the absence of Passco’s procurement centres) paddy was being purchased by the traders at the rate of Rs450-Rs500 per 40kg instead of government-fixed price of Rs700. They said that the DCO was responsible for worsening conditions.

Due to pandemonium, Sindh Agriculture Secretary Subhago Khan Jatoi left the place and SPO Hameer Bhangwar escorted the DCO to his vehicle while angry farmers raised slogans against the DCO.

Earlier, speaking at the seminar, Mr Jatoi claimed that Passco has established 20 paddy procurement centres in Sindh to purchase paddy at the rate of Rs700 per 40kg and advised the farmers not to sell the crop at lesser price. He said 50 more centres will be established for paddy procurement.

He said 40 schemes worth over Rs2 billion were going on to boost the agricultural output. He said that harvesters, land levellers, drill, ploughs and other machineries were being provided at 50 per cent discount to farmers.

Besides, to introduce modern methods of irrigation, water drip, sprinkler and pivot systems were provided at 80 per cent subsidised rates. He said Rs26 billion were being spent to line the watercourses. Cooperative farmers also would be introduced and 28 villages each would form a unit under this scheme.

Agriculture services centres, where all input would be available under one roof, were under consideration. He advised the DCO and other officials to check the black marketing of urea fertiliser.