THATTA, Nov 30: The Small Growers Association has announced to boycott the supply of sugarcane to four sugar mills of the district if they do not clear Rs200 million dues of growers in 10 days after starting the crushing season.

The decision was taken by the SGA at its general body meeting held in Daro town on Sunday.

Speaking at the meeting, SGA president Deewan Aarumal, Tariq Abro, Ashraf Palejo, Abdul Aleem Memon, Yar Mohammad Jalalani and others said the amount outstanding against the Shah Murad Sugar Mill, Laar Sugar Mill, Deewan Sugar Mills and the Al-Asif Sugar Mill included sugarcane price of the last year, quality premium and arrears in other heads since 1992.

The growers’ leaders said the Shah Murad Sugar Mill was the major defaulter which had to pay Rs100 million to the growers.

They said the mills recently started paying a meagre portion of the amount to the growers but later stopped it.

They said the growers would not be able to harvest and supply sugarcane if they were not paid the dues.

They said the SGA would launch a province-wide campaign if the growers were not immediately paid their dues.

They also criticized the mills for sacking their local seasonal staff and said the local people were being deprived of jobs or being discouraged so that they accepted temporary services on low salaries.

SGA central committee member Arbab Wazir Ahmad Memon presided over the meeting.

The Shah Murad Sugar Mill and the Laar Sugar Mill started crushing on Sunday and the Deewan Sugar Mill is scheduled to start crushing from Dec 3. The Al-Asif Sugar Mill will start crushing next week.