Sugar mills mafia blackmailing Government, masses and farmers

The Pakistan Economy Watch (PEW) on Tuesday demanded stern action against sugar mills mafia which is blackmailing the Government, consumers and farmers.

Sugar mills have stopped the supply of the commodity in Karachi and some other places to force government for export subsidy and make extra money.

This has resulted in the prices of sugar to rise in the market which is benefiting the mafia controlling the supply of the product in the country, said Dr. Murtaza Mughal, President PEW.

The same mafia has stopped payment to sugarcane farmers in different areas of the country making life difficult for them, he added.

He said that continued exploitation of sugarcane growers can result in serious issues in the country; therefore, authorities should take corrective measures.

He said that growers disappointed by the attitude of the sugar mills and lack of action by the federal and provincial governments are switching to other crops which can lead to imports.

Dr. Murtaza Mughal said that growers are not getting notified price while delayed payments, exploitation by middlemen, and weight assessment problems has left cultivators with no option but to find alternatives.

The reason behind delayed payments is to push farmers to sell their products to the agents of millers on throwaway prices, which is impossible without the help of local authorities, he noted.

Immediate measures must be taken to soothe the disappointed growers to save the country from another crisis, he demanded.