Sindh's Farmers Caught in Policy Limbo: The Sugarcane Price Standoff

Farmers in Sindh face frustration as provincial indecision over sugarcane pricing persists, influenced by IMF loan conditions. The delay impacts timely wheat sowing, with mill inactivity compounding the issue. Calls are intensifying for clear pricing announcements amid sector-wide financial strain.

Farmers in Sindh are expressing mounting frustration over the provincial government's failure to set sugarcane prices for the 2025-26 season on schedule. The indecision, reportedly influenced by International Monetary Fund (IMF) loan conditions, has left growers in a bind, with many blaming policy paralysis for the ongoing standstill.

Despite the Sindh Agriculture Department's official notice to begin the crushing season on November 15, several sugar mills remained inactive until November 21. This inactivity has added to the uncertainty faced by growers, who still await clarity on purchasing rates from the mills. The situation exacerbates farmers' financial strain as they also await the announcement of wheat support prices.

Meanwhile, nearly 790,000 acres of land dedicated to sugarcane, which overlap with wheat zones, face potential disruption due to delayed cane harvesting impacting wheat sowing times. The Sindh Chamber of Agriculture's Vice President questioned IMF's restrictions on sugarcane price setting, further underscoring the situation's complexity as the provincial cabinet belatedly approved the November 15 crushing date.