SCA rejects demand for onion import

Onions from Sindh will reach markets by September 20, claims vice-president

HYDERABAD: The Sindh Chamber of Agriculture (SCA) has opposed traders' demands to import onions from India and Egypt. At a meeting at the SCA office in Hyderabad on Sunday, the farmers' lobbying group requested the federal government to turn down the proposal of some traders to import the crop because the move will hurt local farmers.



Speaking at the meeting, SCA Vice-President Dr Syed Shahnawaz Shah assured that the onion crop being cultivated in Sindh will reach markets by September 20. He acknowledged that the existing shortage of the crop has led to a price hike. However, new supply of the locally grown onion will not only end the shortage but also significantly decrease its price, he said.



The meeting also demanded that the Sindh agriculture extension department help the province's farmers regarding the cultivation of wheat. The chamber also complained about delay in installation of computerised weighing machines for date crop in Sukkur and Khairpur districts.