Ministry asks growers, millers to mutually decide sugarcane price

The Ministry of Industries and Production has urged farmers and sugar mills to mutually resolve the issue of sugarcane price.

The ministry replied to the sugar mills association’s letter regarding ensuring the supply of sugarcane at cheaper rates.

It also addressed the issue of mills threatening to shut down units over the non-availability of sugarcane.

As per the federal government’s information, cane is available at Rs210 per maund on an average and there is no shortage of it in the country, the letter said.

It added that the provincial governments will take action if the sugar mill owners closed their units.

The ministry asked the growers and sugar mills to decide the matter of sugarcane price among themselves.

Pakistan had produced a high yield of sugarcane this year. Punjab produced 20% higher than last year and had been supplying cane to the sugar mills in Sindh.

The provincial governments had fixed the rate at Rs200 per maund, hence the government will take action, if sugarcane is supplied to farmers at a lesser price, the letter said.

The minimum rates had been fixed in a bid to provide security to the farmers.

The Punjab and Sindh cane commissioners expressed satisfaction on the availability of sugarcane in a report sent to the federal government.