BADIN/SUJAWAL:
Farmers across Badin and Sujawal districts staged protests and road blockades against what they called exploitation by rice millers and traders, accusing them of slashing paddy prices far below production costs.
In Badin, hundreds of growers blocked the main Thar Coal-Karachi highway, paralyzing traffic on routes linking Karachi, Hyderabad, and Tharparkar. Leaders from various political and religious parties joined the demonstration.
The speakers alleged that mill owners had colluded to cut the paddy rate from Rs3,200-3,400 per maund to just Rs2,300, and were weighing 43 kilogrammes as one maund (40kg), depriving farmers of fair returns.
Protesters demanded that the Sindh High Court chief justice and Sindh chief minister intervene and set a minimum official rate of Rs3,400 per maund. The protest ended after negotiations with Assistant Commissioner Rajesh Dilpat, who assured them their grievances would be conveyed to higher authorities.
Meanwhile, in Sujawal, growers observed a complete shutter-down strike and staged a sit-in in Jati town under the banner of the Zameendar Action Forum.
