Rice mills owners announce nationwide protest

Lahore: The Pakistan Rice Mills Association on Friday announced nationwide protest to draw attention of the authorities to the plight of collapsing sector linked to thousands of jobs and two billion dollar of annual exports.

Rice millers have decided to stop purchasing paddy from growers and lock the mills putting thousands of jobs and billions of bank loans in jeopardy.

President Pakistan Rice Mills Association Mukhtar Ahmed Khan Baloch said that an emergency meeting of three thousand owners of rice mills has been summoned at Kamoke where plan for sit-in in front of the Parliament and other details would be finalised.

Baloch said that authorities have turned a deaf ear to the plight of this sector as they are focused on welfare of exporters only putting interests of planters and growers on the back burner.Government needs to bail out sinking rice sector responsible for over two billion dollars of exports, largest outside textiles, otherwise country may lose export market to neighbouring country.

He said that Pakistan is fourth largest exporter of rice and millions of jobs are linked to that critical sector which merits full attention of the policy makers.

Baloch said that situation is turning against Pakistan and in favour of India which has introduced its own brand lacking aroma but increased in length. Indian rice is cheaper due to hidden subsidies which has resulting in lost Iranian and Middle Eastern markets. He said that some 3000 rice mills are facing problems while those 1000 are on the brink that have failed to sell rice in last two years while lacks of bags are piled up in different districts of Punjab.

He said that the steps taken for rice sector in the budget are insufficient, adding that TCP should buy rice from millers for export, their mark-up should be waived and rice mills should be declared sick industry.