Tobacco growers in Pakistan have rejected the PKR505 ($1.80) per kg tobacco purchasing price set by the Ministry of Commerce for the upcoming marketing season, reports Dawn.
During a Jan. 13 meeting in the Dagi, Swabi District, grower representatives blasted the Pakistan Tobacco Board for being partial to tobacco buyers in price negotiations. They also accused the purchasing companies of negotiating in bad faith.
The growers’ leaders demanded that the per-kg tobacco rate should be fixed in proportion to the prevailing record inflation and the high expenditures incurred on production of the crop.
Grower representative Arif Ali recalled that the companies bought tobacco from growers at PKR425 per kg at initial stage in the 2023 season, but the market price later jumped to PKR1,200 per kg. He said the firms had also failed to fulfil a promise to pay arrears at the end of the season as per the final rate.
The growers are now planning sit-ins outside the gates of the tobacco purchase centers in the production areas. They also threatened to switch to other crops if their demands were not met.