SUJAWAL  -  Growers of Sujawal have expressed grave concerns on low prices of paddy being paid by the mill owners to them. Growers hailing from different areas of district Sujawal have condemned the atrocity of Mil owners as well as the silence of government authorities. They have lashed out at the concerned authorities for giving a free hand to mil owners to deceive small growers of the remote areas of district Sujawal. Ismail Memon, a local grower from the coastal town of Jati, disclosed that they had attached high hopes to paddy this year but the cruelty of mill owners had shattered all their hopes. Another grower. Maher Ali Khowaja from village Hussainabad told this correspondent that they were getting 2500 per mound of paddy from mill owners, which was a very low price. He termed it a financial genocide of poor growers and proposed around 4500 per mound of paddy for growers. Khamiso Muhammad Khan said that with the current price of paddy they would not be able to even recover the amount they had invested on cultivation and quality growth of paddy. He further said that the reasons cited by them for the low price were groundless and baseless. Separately A public gathering was held on Saturday at the central bus stop, where leaders from various political and social parties announced a protest sit-in  against the reduced prices of paddy and exploitation by mill owners. Participating leaders, including Punhal Solangi, Wahid Hyder Zohor, Qadir Bakhsh Zohor, Wagar Mirani, and others, criticized the government for failing to ensure fair prices for cotton and paddy farmers. They demanded a minimum price of Rs4,000 per 40-kg, arguing that current rates are insufficient to cover production costs. Protesters alleged that paddy and cotton prices have been consistently reduced, while mill owners continue to exploit farmers through unfair practices.

 They vowed to continue their struggle until fair prices are guaranteed and exploitation ends.

The protest rally, organized by the Awami Social Forum, was attended by various political and social party leaders, farmers, and journalists. The sit-in will continue until their demands are met.