PESHAWAR: Officials of the Premier Sugar Mill Mardan on Monday expressed concerns over the unavailability of enough amount of sugarcane during the ongoing crushing season and warned that they will be forced to close the mill after 8 December.
Addressing a news conference, the General Manager Premier sugar mill Mardan, Jamil Khanzada said that the closure of one of the oldest sugar mill will render thousands of people jobless. Khanzada said that due to lack of sugarcane, the mill is forced to purchase it at Rs285 per 40 kg against Rs225 as stipulated by the government. General Manager cane Salim Karmani and senior cane manager Salim Khan was also present during the press conference.
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They informed that provincial cane manager has been informed about the situation, but so far, the mill has not received any satisfactory response. The officials further said that crop has also affected because of diseases due to which they are not getting the required amount. The manager said that they are also thinking about closing the mill for three days a week. They mill officials requested the local farmers to resume supply of sugarcane to the mill otherwise, the mill owner will be forced to close it by December 18.
On 8 December, Daily Mashriq reported that because of lack of sugarcane, two major sugar mills in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have been closed permanently, while sugar mills in Mardan and Peshawar are facing shortage due to the unavailability of required amount of sugarcane.
The sugar mills in Khazana and Premier Sugar Mills in Mardan daily requires 400,000 tons of sugarcane. On the other hand, farmers said that they are facing financial losses due to the government stipulated rates, thus, they make gurh instead of supplying their crops to sugar mills. Khanzada said that there are over 4000 ‘illegal’ gurh-making unity in Mardan. He said that these units are not pay any tax but consuming major portion of sugarcane produced in the district. He informed that the mill is paying millions of tax but unfortunately, it is on the verge of closure.
Sugarcane is cultivated crop in Mardan, Swabi, Nowshera and Peshawar but thousands of acres of sugarcane crop has been affected by flash floods and storms in these districts this season. The construction boom has also devoured fertile, sugarcane producing area in these districts.