Sindh Chamber of Agriculture (SCA) has demanded to fix sugarcane rate at Rs 400 per 40 kg to start its crushing at sugar mills from November 15. This demand was made by SCA General Secretary and Member of Sugar Cane Advisory Board Zahid Bhurgari while addressing a press conference here at the Chamber’s office on Wednesday. He said that most of the lands were submerged in flood water while the sugarcane crop was standing on the rest of the land, if the sugarcane was not harvested in time, sowing of wheat would be badly affected. In this regard, the Sindh government should take immediate measures to drain out flood water from the lands and ensure timely harvest of the sugarcane crop so that the sowing of wheat could be started on time, Zahid Bhurgari emphasized. He said the country has abundant reserves of sugar and the federal government should allow the export of sugar. He said that the one million metric tons of sugar should be allowed to be exported so that the sugar mills can be able to pay the arrears to the sugarcane growers. He expressed fear that the production of wheat this year would be estimated up to 2 million metric tons as compared to the target of 43 million metric tons fixed by the government. If the sugarcane is not harvested on time, wheat will not be sown and its production may decrease further, he said and feared a severe flour crisis in the country next year. He urged the Sindh government to call an urgent meeting of the Sugar Cane Control Board and fix the support price of sugarcane at least Rs 400 per 40 kg while sugar mills should be started by November 15.