KARACHI: Regional Chairman on Horticulture Exports, Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FPCCI) Ahmad Jawad has suggested export of sugarcane to help local farmers meet their production expenses and enhance country’s foreign earning.
Talking to a delegation of Sindh Chamber of Agriculture (SCA), led by Ejaz Nabi here on Monday, he said Pakistan, being the fith largest producer of sugarcane in the world, needed a prudent approach to make optimum of the resource for equal benefit of agriculturists as well as national exchequer.
He agreed with the SCA that commerce ministry must formally allow sugar cane export so that farmers be in a better position to have proper returns for their crops. FPCCI’s Regional Chairman for Horticulture Exports mentioning that major portion of locally grown sugarcane is crushed at farm level to produce gur (jagger), shakkar and brown sugar, he said farmers must be supported to get these bi-products exported.
“There is great demand for brown sugar in many of the countries,” he said and urged authorities to facilitate farmers in this regard. Ahmad Jawad in this context particularly mentioned that Khyber PakhtunKhwa (KPK) is a traditional gur making zone of the country and is not only producing jagger for domestic use but also exports it to other countries.
Members of the Sindh Chamber of Agriculture including Sikander Talpur, Mir Amjad Khan Jatoi and other said KPK farmers earn 57% more profit through production and sale of jagger as compared to what they get by selling sugarcane to sugar mills.
It was regretted that farmers’ contribution to sugar industry, the second largest agro based industry in Pakistan comprising 86 sugar mills, was largely ignored.Jawad reminded the Sindh Chamber of Agriculture delegation that Punjab contributes about 68% of the total sugarcane production.
Appreciating the efforts of agricultural scientists in the country, he suggested that such a mechanism be devised that may reduce the difficulties faced by farmers with limited resources.
The farmers mentioned that over 50 million tons of sugarcane was crushed annually and that jagger-making process has assumed a status of an important cottage industry of the country.
