Following fixation of tobacco price at Rs 121 per kg by the Pakistan Tobacco Board (PTB), smooth sale and purchase of the commodity has started in Swabi, Mardan and Charsadda districts. Industry sources told Business Recorder here on Friday that the PTB had revised the minimum price of tobacco crop for 2012 through a recent notification and announced the rate at Rs 121 per kg against the earlier fixed price of Rs 117 per kg on the request of tobacco growers.
The buying and selling of tobacco was a big issue in areas like Swabi, Mardan and Charsadda etc. With new price fixation, the tobacco farmers offered their tobacco at purchase centers and transactions were done in a smooth manner at all the buying points in the said districts. The farmers seemed happy over the fixed purchase price.
However, there are few elements who tried to convince tobacco farmers not to sell their tobacco but majority of the farming community rejected their call and supported the peaceful start of the purchases especially when the process was already delayed & tobacco stocks were ready for disposal, they added.