ISLAMABAD Agriculture Ministry has warned of a bigger sugar crisis, in case the ongoing price conflict between the judiciary and the sugar millers was not settled amicably before the start of the sugarcane crushing season in November. We are seeing two major problems in the near future: these are financial disaster for growers and non-availability of sugar in the market, sources feared. And the sources kept on saying that there is another thing that is the delay in the cultivation of wheat crop that will occur if the millers dont start procurement at the given time by November 15. Therefore the sources added that the government and the countrymen must be very well prepared for the revenge of sugar millers as they are planning to exploit farmers by delaying the sugarcane procurement as crushing season starts on November 15. Sources in the Agriculture Ministry revealed that it has rung alarm bells that the millers might delay the sugarcane procurement, thus creating problems for the growers besides deepening the ongoing crisis. According to the sources, the official estimates project 50 million tons sugarcane production this year, which is exactly the estimated demand for the country. Therefore, the Ministry has termed the situation critical as the crop estimates equivalent to demand would hardly allow piling up of any buffer stocks. Moreover the neck and neck demand and supply situation also appears in favour of the millers that were already up for exploiting any of the stakeholders including the farmers. The sources termed the farmers as the most vulnerable in the given circumstances as there was no alternate sugarcane procurement mechanism in place. The sources said that the millers are very much annoyed with the present decision of the Supreme Court sustaining the High Courts verdict demanding the sale of sugar at not more than Rs 40 per kilogram in the retail market. The sources said that the miller claim Rs 38 per kilogram cost of sugar. Thus adding the sales tax, logistics cost, wholesalers as well as retailers profit it would make it impossible to sell it at Rs 40 per kg, argue the millers. The millers are even saying that it is better to nationalize their mills than forcing them to sell their product in loss. In the given circumstances, the sources apprehended that the millers would exploit the sugarcane procurement as their tool to deepen the crisis, unless theirs plea is accepted by the apex court. It is also pertinent to mention here that despite the High Court decision maintained by the Supreme Court, the daily use item was nowhere selling at Rs 40 per kilogram. They further said that the millers were determined not to sell the product at the given price in the future as well. The sources also said that the government would not be in a position to force the millers to procure sugarcane from the growers. Therefore in the given scenario, the sources added, the growers and the consumers seems to be the ultimate losers.