Agriculture: Another year, another cane crisis |
While the Sindh government has recently announced its intent to procure wheat for the 2025-26 season, it seemed indecisive about fixing sugarcane’s rate, apparently in view of the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) loan programme conditions. The IMF calls for improving the private-sector business environment by removing state-created distortions, ensuring a level playing field, and streamlining subsidies.
The date for the commencement of sugarcane crushing, however, had been notified by the Sindh agriculture department as November 15. However, reports indicated that several mills had not fired their boilers until November 21. “There are no indications as to what price the mills are going to offer to farmers,” said Zubair Talpur, Sindh Abadgar Ittehad (SAI) President. His sugarcane fields are located in the Umerkot district.
The government didn’t fix sugarcane prices last year. It appears to be in a fix regarding notifying the indicative price of sugarcane, amid farmers’ growing expectations that, since the wheat support price is likely to be announced, sugarcane’s rate should also be notified. The government has argued that the wheat support price will be fixed to support farmers and domestic wheat cultivation, thereby lessening reliance on grain imports.
Sindh Chamber of Agriculture (SCA) senior vice president Nabi Bux Sathio has even approached the........