KARACHI - The Sindh government has directed the sugar mills to start crushing from 1st November (tomorrow) so as to save growers from financial losses. Ms. Sharmila Farooi Advisor to Chief Minter Sindh said that the govt has set Nov 1st, 2009 for the start of crushing of sugarcane but mill boilers still have not been ignited, causing unrest among the growers. It is must to ignite boilers 10 days ahead of crushing. If any delay in the crushing of sugar cane is made, the growers will not be able to sow the wheat crop and thus face losses. Sugar prices in the Sindh province have risen to an unprecedented level and cause rise in the prices of sweets and other food products made of sugar. It will be good omen if millers adopt a positive policy this time and launch crushing for the good of the growers and the country. The advisor said that the arrival of the new sugarcane crop would not only reduce sugar prices to a significant level but also bring the down the commoditys price. She asked the mills administration to extend cooperation with the government and adopt people friendly policies for the progress of the country. The PPP government is also taking steps to provide lucrative incentives to the industrialists including the sugar millers, she said. She expressed concerns over the non-payment of dues to the growers by the mill administration and asked them to ensure immediate payment to them so that they could purchase fertilizer and make arrangements for sowing new crops. She said that the Sindh Chief Minister had earlier directed sugar mills to finalise arrangements to start the sugarcane crushing season from October 15 but no response to his directives was made. It will be good for sugar mills to start crushing voluntarily from Nov 1st, she asserted. The advisor said the PPP government is taking steps to introduce new varieties of sugarcane besides providing incentives to farmers. Over 2500 tractors have been provided to growers to encourage them for raising crop production. The ladies farmers including women have also been provided land free of cost by the PPP regime. The mills have never followed crushing season stating date in the past as required by the law and they are also seen committing this mistake this time too, which will be not good for them or the people of country, she said.