The Sindh Balochistan Rice Millers and Traders Association (SBRMTA) has voiced strong outrage over ongoing official raids on member warehouses, condemning the forced seizure and coercive procurement of privately purchased wheat. SBRMTA General Secretary Asad Tunio urged the Sindh Chief Minister to intervene immediately to safeguard legitimate private businesses across the two provinces.
Key Issues Raised by the Association
- Support for Farmers: Rice millers frequently provide growers with essential inputs—including seeds, fertilizers, and crop financing—throughout the agricultural cycle.
- Private Procurement: After the government food department failed to meet its wheat procurement targets on time this season, millers used their own capital to buy wheat directly from farmers and store it legally.
- Targeting Private Storage: Rather than collaborating with industry stakeholders to address market wheat shortages, authorities began raiding rice mills, breaking into facilities, and harassing business owners.
- Call for Food Department Reform: The association criticized the food department’s central control over wheat management, pointing to corruption allegations and demanding greater administrative accountability.
Proposed Solutions and Warning
To resolve the crisis, SBRMTA—representing 2,500 rice mills across Sindh and Balochistan—proposed establishing a transparent framework that allows approved mills to hold designated wheat quantities as official strategic reserves. The association warned that if state harassment, forced confiscations, and disregard for private investment continue, millers will be unable to maintain confidence in their business operations.
