LARKANA, Dec 10: A large number of paddy growers took out a procession here on Saturday under the banner of Sindh Hari Abadgar Board, demanding increase in the support price of paddy.

Abdul Majeed Shaikh, central president of the SHAB led the procession that began from the Bundar road.

The speakers alleged that rice exporters and traders having hand in glove had reduced the procurement price of paddy this year to Rs260 per 40 kilogram.

They said paddy was sold for Rs390 per 40 kilogram last year and despite rise in agriculture inputs the rate had been lowered down which according to them was affecting farmers and growers.

They said that it was quite surprising that the government was worried about 30 per cent population at the cost of ignoring 70 per cent population of peasants and tillers.

The price of common commodities had touched ever high limits and poor farmers were forced to starvation but government’s indifferent attitude would force the growers to look for other crops.

The SHAB in its meeting decided to hold a big protest rally on Thursday to press the government for announcing support price paddy no less than Rs400 per 40 kilogram.

The meeting said if the government kept avoiding resolving farmers’ problem, they would torch their paddy stocks.