HYDERABAD, Dec 14: The Sindh Abadgar Board, with the support of other growers’ organizations, will launch a protest movement if the government failed to persuade sugar mills to start the crushing season by Dec 20 and purchase sugarcane at the fixed price of Rs43 per 40 kgs.

This decision was taken at a meeting of the working committee of the board held here on Saturday.

The meeting regretted it was for the first time in 42 years that the crushing season in Sindh had been delayed to such an extent.

It pointed out that under the Sugarcane Act, sugar mills were bound to start the crushing season between Oct 1 and Oct 30.

It observed this delay would destroy the agriculture sector which was already affected by the shortage of water.

The meeting pointed out that according to the government’s own statistics, Sindh had suffered a loss of Rs27 billion during the last two years due to the shortage of water.

It noted due to the inordinate delay in the crushing season, wheat could not be cultivated on 600,000 and to save the sugarcane crop, two months water of the Rabi crop would be wasted on sugarcane.

The SAB appealed to provincial and federal governments that sugar mills should be made to pay compensation to growers for failing to start the crushing season on time.

It further demanded as the shortage of water had affected the cultivation of the sugarcane crop and further cultivation of this crop was not possible, financial assistance should be given for setting up mini-sugar mills and growers should be allowed to sow sugar beet instead of sugarcane.

The meeting said the shortage of water, low rates of crops, withdrawal of subsidy, increase in prices of agricultural inputs, power tariff and various agricultural taxes had destroyed the agricultural economy of the province.

It claimed 92 per cent of the population of the province was living below the poverty line.

The meeting demanded steps should be taken to rehabilitate the agriculture sector.

It further demanded Sindh should be declared as calamity-affected province and growers should be exempted from payment of taxes.

Abdul Majeed Nizamani presided over the meeting.

CANE COMMISSIONER: The Sindh cane commissioner has said legal action will be taken against sugar mills offering low price for sugarcane.

He said growers could file complaints, with evidence, in the office of the cane commissioner or the EDO, agriculture, concerned.