Tobacco Growers Warn of Civil Disobedience Drive

Source from:  Sunday, May 18, 2008 thenews.jang.com.pk By Syed Bukhar Shah 05/19/2008

PESHAWAR: The Sarhad Chamber of Agriculture, Swabi, has warned that more than a million tobacco growers in NWFP would launch civil disobedience movement if the government failed to fix the rate of their cash crop. "We have been requesting the governments since long but nothing practical has been done for solution of our genuine problems," Chamber's President Mohammad Ali told 'The News'. "But now we are fed up and could not afford further exploitation of our people at the hands of multinational companies as well as the government," he added. The tobacco growers have decided to convey their collective decision to NWFP Chief Minister Ameer Haider Hoti before the government committee could finalise rate for them without knowing their problems. "We are also planning to stage protest demonstration in front of the Parliament during the budget session," Chamber's General Secretary Liaquat Yousafzai said. The tobacco growers have already rejected the government's rate -- Rs66 per kilogram -- saying the exploitation of the growers could be judged from the fact that committee has been purchasing the same tobacco for Rs80 per kilogram last year. The federal government is collecting Rs38 billion as excise duty from tobacco but still it has pushed the helpless growers to commit suicide. "About 36,000 tobacco ovens are functioning and every oven employs at least 10 persons in every season," Mohammad Ali said. Thousands of persons would be rendered unemployed if their negotiations with the government failed, he added. Comparing the prices of fertilizers, water taxes and others required labour on tobacco, the expenditures of farmers have multiplied on the crop but still they were being asked to provide it on the same rate -- Rs66 per kg. It, they said, was further deplorable to note that the farmers had to spend Rs90 per kilogram but the government was not ready to purchase it from them at Rs100 per kilogram and insisting on the previous rate of Rs66. Enditem