Pakistan Tobacco Board (PTB) has held consultation with tobacco growers, dealers and senior officials of tobacco companies to facilitate process of the tobacco marketing.
The purpose of the meeting and holding consultation with the stakeholders each year was to identify problems faced by progressive tobacco growers, prominent tobacco dealers and officials of the tobacco companies during the outgoing marketing season, said a press release on Tuesday.
In this connection, a meeting was held with the cognate groups during the third week of the current month, which was presided over by Pakistan Tobacco Board Secretary Khan Faraz.
During the meeting, the representatives of tobacco growers presented problems/ suggestions and proposals pertaining to tobacco production, availability of inputs, functioning of vigilance committees, availability of loans from banks, fixation of minimum prices for tobacco, use of hygrometers at the depots for determining moisture contents in the tobacco bales etc.
The tobacco dealers revealed their problems and presented suggestions into their resolutions pertaining to exploration of markets for tobacco, levy of tobacco development cess, giving representation to tobacco dealers on Pakistan Tobacco Board, etc.
Representatives of companies suggested that the growers should grow tobacco varieties recommended by the board, to ensure proper grading, constitution of vigilance committees at the depots, balanced use of NPK fertiliser, protection of cured stocks of tobacco during transportation to the depots, maintenance of optimum moisture content, collection/ disposal of spilled over leaves at the buying points etc.
The board officials noted the problems pinpointed by the stakeholders and would be considered in the forthcoming tripartite conference of all cognate groups to be held shortly so as to evolve amicable solution to them, the statement concluded.-PR