The Sindh High Court (SHC) has summoned the provincial Secretary for Agriculture and the Cane Commissioner after a petition was filed against the failure to begin the sugarcane crushing season and the continued closure of sugar mills.
The constitutional bench heard the petition, in which the petitioner argued that under the Sugarcane Act, the crushing season must begin on 15 November and all mills are required to be operational by 30 November. Despite this, sugar mills across Sindh remain closed even as the month nears its end.
The petitioner informed the court that the prolonged shutdown has caused harvested cane to rot in the fields, delaying wheat cultivation and inflicting severe financial losses on farmers. He described the situation as “economic murder” of sugarcane growers struggling to recover their investment.
After hearing the arguments, the SHC directed the Secretary of Agriculture and the Cane Commissioner to appear before the court. The bench adjourned further proceedings until 5 December.
