LARKANA: A large number of paddy growers, peasants and daily wage earners decried low rates of different varieties of paddy and took to the streets in Shahdadkot on Monday in protest.

They urged the government to establish procurement centres and fix procurement prices to save them from huge losses.

It was a joint action committee`s call to protest which was joined by the leaders of the Sindh Abadgar Board (SAB), Hari Sujag Network and Sindh Hari Committee and other stakeholders.

Carrying banners and placards, the protesters started the march from Tanveri Shakh while raising slogans against what they termed as a lukewarm attitude of the government towards resolving the genuine problem of growers linked with the paddy crop.

After covering two kilometres, the marchers held a demonstration at the `Koto-Moto` chowk and their leaders made speeches.

Qambar-Shahdadkot district SAB president Ishaque Mughiri termed the downward trend of paddy rates the result of a nexus between the rice millers and exporters.

Using a lame excuse of dropping procurement prices of rice in the international market, they were fleecing growers, he said.

Raising slogans against an illegal `cut` in weight and exploitation of tillers and growers, he said it was now a `decisive turn` where the growers would not tolerate more deceit and exploitation.