PESHAWAR: The district administration`s failure to protect their financial interest has forced sugar cane growers of Bannu to dispose of their produce at a price lower than the government fixed support price.

The representatives of farmers told Dawn on Monday that sugar cane growers in Bannu had been forced to sell their crop at a loss of Rs45 per 40 kilogrammes compared to the price fixed by the provincial government.

`Our repeated requests to the deputy commissioner to look into the issue has so far remained unanswered,` said Mohammad Ashfaq, secretary general of Kissan Board, Bannu chapter.

Mr Ashfaq said they took up the matter with the district administration in December at the beginning of the sugar cane crushing season, but to no avail.

Deputy Commissioner of Bannu Mohammad Ayaz was not available for version.

Kissan Board provincial chief Rizwanullah told Dawn that the growers had planned a demonstra-tion today (Tuesday) to press the local mill management for procuring sugar cane at the officially set price of Rs170 per 40 kilogrammes.

Thousands of the small growers` economic interest in Bannu district is at stake.

On average, the district produces more than 40,000 tons of sugar cane annually, making it a significant source of income generation for the farming community and the associated businesses.

The growers, said Mr Ashfag, had postponed their protest after being `requested` by the mill management to give it a couple of days time for redressing their complaints.

He said the growers were compelled to sell their fine quality sugar cane at a price of the low quality Chitta India variety.

The provincial government, according to officials, had fixed the support price for Chitta India at Rs140 per 40 kilogrammes, which is Rs30 per 40 kilogrammes less than the support price of the fine quality sugarcane.

According to the growers` representatives, out of the total area brought under sugar cane this year some 70 per cent has been cultivatedwith fine varieties, including CP-77, Bannu-1, and Bannu-Green whereas the remaining 30 per cent of the cultivated area involves Chitta India.`They (mill management) simply refuse to pay Rs170 per 40 kilogrammes and apply the Chitta India`s price to whichever variety is brought for sale by the growers,` said Ashfaq.

Chitta India, according to growers, introduced more than three decades ago is no more popular with sugar mills because it weighs more and is low in juice. Since the variety is diseased and low in productivity for the millers, the provincial government, said an official, had fixed its price at a level lower than the support price in an effort to discourage its cultivation.

A delegation of sugar cane growers, said Mr Ashfaq, held a meeting with the manager of the local mill and called for clearing the payment backlog. Legally, the mills are required to make payments against their procurement within 15 days of the transaction.

`More than a month has passed and growers have been made the payment, plunging them into deep financial problems,` said the Kissan Board`s secretary general.