LAHORE: The Kissan Board Pakistan (KBP) on Friday warned the provincial government to stage a protest if the support price of the sugarcane is not announced earliest.
Chaudhry Akhtar Farooq Mayo, Chief Organizer KBP, and Advocate Rana Zeber Afzal expressed serious concerns about the lack of support for sugarcane farmers while talking to media persons on Friday. They stated that the ruling class is protecting the sugar mill mafia in its economic exploitation of farmers.
Mayo emphasized that Pakistan's agriculture sector had previously borne the brunt of economic sanctions imposed after the country’s nuclear tests, but now, through deliberate planning, the farmers' economy is being ruined. He pointed out that after wheat, corn, and cotton, sugarcane growers are now facing financial exploitation.
"The farmers, in despair, are looking toward the courts and the government for relief. Farmers are being forced to spend cold, harsh nights on the streets, while capitalists are running rampant, driven by personal gain at the cost of economic exploitation," said Mayo.
The court has ordered the government to announce the support price for sugarcane by the next hearing. The government, however, appears to be procrastinating, trying to get through the crushing season without taking decisive action, he claimed.
“If no positive measures are taken to prevent the economic exploitation of sugarcane farmers, the Board will take to the streets in protest, Mayo warned. He added that the worsening situation and damage caused to the growers should be blamed on the sugar mill mafia and the government.”
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024
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