SUKKUR: A rally was taken out by growers of dates against the cartel of traders of Agha Qadir Dad Market Sukkur and Khairpur. More than 300 growers from different parts of Sukkur and Khairpur district including Hafiz Abdul Haleem, Haji Sadurdin Phulpoto, Dr Abdul Waheed Mastoi,Shahzado Chijan, Mushtaque Arejo, Piyaro Phulpoto, Yaseen Memon, Abdul Jabbar Ansari, Abdul Khalique Jatoi marched from Agriculture office Khairpur to local press club. They informed journalists that dates growers were not being paid reasonable price despite the fact that price of date in the international market had gone higher and dates growers in other countries like, Egypt, Iran, Tunis, Saudi and others were getting advantage of this upward trend from their respective governments. They have criticised the traders as well as behaviour of officials of district administration for unfair practices of date buying. Chairman Sindh Abadgar Foundation, Hafiz Haleem alleged date buyers have been monopolising the trade. He said it was height of injustice that they were not being paid due prices of their produce. Such situation would lead bankruptcy to them. The government should take action against traders of Agha Qadir Dad Market not paying judicious price to growers, they demanded. Haji Sadarudin Phulpoto said, dates growers have been facing financial crunch while traders were making millions of rupees. He said Sindh government had failed to provide justice to farmers and the situation would likely to force them to lay a siege to Assembly House. Rally went to Farm House of opposition leader Khursheed Ahmed Shah at Salehpat and held meeting with him. He was told about the growers problems. They demanded him and Commissioner Sukkur to implement notification of last year regarding pricing, installation of computer weiging machines, abolition of taxes etc in letter and spirit. Published in Daily Times, August 16th 2017.