CM approves minimum support price of sugarcane
Sindh Chief Minister Justice (retd) Maqbool Baqar after thorough discussion and considering the cost of production worked out by the agriculture department has fixed the minimum price of sugarcane at Rs425 per maund for 2023-24 crop.
A meeting in this regard was held at the CM House on Monday which was attended by Chief Secretary Dr Fakhre Alam, Advocate General Sindh Hassan Akbar, Secretary Finance Kazim Jatoi, Secretary Agriculture Aijaz Shah, Secretary Food Nasir Abbas and other concerned officers.
Secretary Agriculture briefing the chief minister about the cost of sugarcane cultivation said that per acre cost has been worked out at Rs244,984, and the average yield of an acre is 650 maunds means Rs377 per 40kg. If 12.7 per cent profit on the total expenditures is added, the price would come to Rs425.
Chief Secretary D Fakhre Alam said that he had also held a meeting of the agriculture department and the minimum price was worked out at Rs425 and if the profit of 15% as demanded by the agriculturists is added the price would go to Rs434 per 40 kg.
The chief minister approved the minimum price of sugarcane at Rs425 per 40 kg and directed the chief secretary to get the price approved by the cabinet through circulation.
The secretary agriculture briefing the chief minister about the structure and strategy of his department said that it has 12 wings, including extension, research, agriculture management, training, agriculture marketing, cane commissionerate, cotton commissionerate, bureau of supply and price, weight & measures and planning and monitoring cell.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 14th, 2023.