Labour complaints: Sugar cane mills fail to pay growers

The Sindh cane commissioner has gone to the court after two more sugar mills failed to respond to his notices.


Our Correspondent February 09, 2012

HYDERABAD: The Sindh cane commissioner has gone to the court after two more sugar mills failed to respond to his notices, inquiring about the delay in payment to the growers. The government has fixed a rate of Rs154 per 40 kilogrammes which is supposed to be paid to the growers. The farmers of Tando Muhammad Khan district have been protesting for over a month. Nabi Bux Sathio of the Sindh Chamber of Agriculture alleged that the official rate is not paid even for the good quality cane. “If there is any truth to the matter, the mills should have submitted a reply to the commissioner’s notice, explaining why they are purchasing inferior quality and banned variety.” A plea was filed by Tariq Ahmed Memon, the commissioner who issued notices last month to Fauji Sugar Mills and Seri Sugar Mills.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 10th, 2012.

COMMENTS (3)

Hamid Saeed Khan | 12 years ago | Reply

Why take inferior quality of cane??? The track record of the sugar mills in Tando Mohammad doesn't allow any grower of the region to supply a single a single stick to these sugar mills. Only those growers who have inferior quality are supplying cane to these sugar mills. Even they know what will happen to them. They cannot afford the freight charges for the supply of this cane to other mills which are far away..and other sugar mills doesn't want to purchase it too. Second, there are number of brokers involve in this business with the consent of these sugar mills. Some of them are with the owners of the mills and others are enjoying with the management of the mills.

Rajendra Kalkhande | 12 years ago | Reply

First of all, the rate paid is low. Story is no different in India, Sugar mill owners often take the route of court cases to delay payments. However India has very strong farmer lobbies and manage to get their payments in reasonable time. We have " Bhartiya Kisan Union" which is almost militant like when it comes to dealing wth government. Time to have Pakistan Kashtkar Union if there is not one so far. Join hands with Bhartiya Kisan Union which has strong units in Indian side of Punjab.

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