Lahore : Nov 8 : A controversy between the Punjab government and growers over the support price of sugarcane for the current crushing season has intensified as the latter rejected the support price of Rs 400 per maund and announced to lodge protest against the government decision .
A day earlier , the Punjab government had announced Rs 400 per maund rates for sugarcane for the current crushing season. The growers rejected the decision of the Punjab government in toto and announced to start protest against what they call as unjustified rates of sugarcane.
In the first part of the protest plan , the growers will block the roads in Rahimyar Khan district from Thursday (today). In the next phase , the growers will expand their protest for not getting their demanded support price of sugarcane to the entire Punjab. The growers had a several hours meeting on Wednesday to chalk out a protest strategy against the Punjab government decision of fixing sugarcane support price for crushing season 2023-24 at Rs 400 for 40 kg. The growers believe that the caretaker Punjab government is pampering the sugar industry by announcing unreasonable sugarcane price for the current crushing season.
They have put a set of demands with the Punjab government to resolve the on-going controversy over sugarcane price once for all. The growers want a reasonable price of sugarcane and at the same time they want that the government should fix sugar price proportionate to the sugarcane rates.
Talking to NEWSMAN by phone after Wednesday ‘s meeting , Ch Yasin , president Punjab Anjman e Kashtar said “We reject the Punjab government decision of fixing sugarcane support price at Rs 400 per maund as it does not even meet per acre input cost”. Ch Yasin added that the growers will continue to protest in the entire Punjab till the caretaker Punjab government accept their demand of fixing a reasonable price of sugarcane for the current crushing season.