November 16, 2008	Sunday	Ziqa'ad 17, 1429

HYDERABAD, Nov 15: The Sindh Abadgar Board has urged the federal minister for agriculture and livestock to tell Pascco to set up rice purchase centres in Sindh without delay as poor farmers were being fleeced by traders.

In a communication addressed to Mr Nazar Mohammad Gondal, President Abdul Majeed Nizamani said that the rice growers produced bumper paddy crop but unfortunately prices fell due to the manipulation of the vested interests.

The federal government was pleased to step-in and direct Pascco to start the procurement of rice, while the Managing Director PASCO had visited Sindh and held meetings with the SAB, Sindh Chamber of Agriculture and representatives of Sindh and Balochistan, rice millers and traders association and promised to start procurement immediately, he said.

President SAB, however, regretted that due to legendary lethargy and ineptitude of Pascco, not a single procurement centre was established in the province facilitating traders and the millers to loot farmers as much with the confidence of rice growers in the government shattered. He said farmers were compelled to sell their produce at a throw-away price.

He suggested that the secretary Minfal, MD Pascco and concerned secretaries of the federal government should hold a meeting with growers and millers in Karachi for finding means to provide relief to growers by setting up rice procurement centres.