Pakistan Farmers Address Government

Source from:  World Tobacco 03/27/2009

PAK: Tobacco growers in Pakistan have urged the government to reassess the cost of production and include tobacco in the crop insurance programme being launched by the Government. The Representatives of Tobacco Growers noted that with the cost of production recently undergoing significant increase, due to a number of factors, there is a need to embark upon measures to ensure fair return to the farmers. A meeting of the sub-committee of the Senate Standing Committee on Food, Agriculture and Livestock was held at the Parliament House to discuss both the problems being faced by the tobacco growers plus other issues related to this sector. Chaired by Senator Shuja-ul-Mulk, convenor of the sub-committee, and attended by representatives of tobacco growers, tobacco companies and senior officials of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), the meeting highlighted that tobacco is one of Pakistan's most important cash crops, mostly grown in selected districts such as Mardan, Sawabi and Charsada; however, the representatives present suggested that the people managing the Tobacco Board were not fully conversant with the problems of the growers and firmly requested that a technical person should be appointed Chairman of the Board to facilitate early resolution of their problems. Heavy increases in the cost of production, due to expensive labour and the cost of seed fertilizers, has reduced sector margins. They informed the Committee that this sector supports nearly 1.5mn families, directly or indirectly, all over the country and contribute around Rs 40bn (US$ mn) to the national duties. In addition, representatives tobacco companies highlighted nonavailability of reliable statistical field and said market research conducted at the government also pointed to Government's regulation of the whole supply chain. They said and the growers are natural therefore only their mutual solve the myriad problems this sector. If everything forces, they said, then likely to be damaged. They Government to come down manufacturers of cigarettes counterfeit brands. Enditem