Farmers in Sindh’s Badin and Sujawal districts have launched significant protests and road blockades, demanding action against rice millers and traders accused of manipulating paddy prices to the detriment of growers, reports 24brussels.

In Badin, hundreds of farmers obstructed the Thar Coal-Karachi highway, impacting major routes between Karachi, Hyderabad, and Tharparkar. Leaders of the protests, supported by political and religious representatives, asserted that rice millers had conspired to slash paddy prices from Rs3,200-3,400 per maund to a mere Rs2,300. Additionally, they alleged that mill owners were shortchanging farmers by recording 43 kilograms as one maund instead of the standard 40 kg.

Protesters are calling for the Sindh High Court chief justice and the chief minister to establish a minimum official rate of Rs3,400 per maund to ensure fair compensation for growers. The demonstrations concluded after Assistant Commissioner Rajesh Dilpat assured the farmers that their complaints would be escalated to higher authorities.

Meanwhile, in Sujawal, members of the Zameendar Action Forum conducted a complete shutdown strike and organized a sit-in in Jati town, voicing similar concerns over exploitation. They emphasized their commitment to continue advocating for fair pricing, according to reports. The ongoing crisis is largely attributed to mismanagement by the provincial food department, which neglected to procure wheat during its peak availability in March and April in favor of clearing nearly 800,000 bags of outdated stock. Although officials claimed this was intended to prevent wastage, the decision had dire repercussions, leading to financial losses exceeding Pakistani Rupees 6 billion as the price of wheat escalated.

In the last three weeks, flour prices have continued to rise sharply, causing panic buying and hoarding among consumers, resulting in significant pressure on household budgets. A shopkeeper in Quetta remarked that in his three decades of business, he had “never seen flour prices cross Pakistani Rupee 2,000 per bag,” highlighting the gravity of the situation as families are now compelled to reduce their meal portions.