Govt asked to fix Rs300/kg tobacco price

MARDAN: The representatives of farmers here on Saturday asked the government to fix Rs300 per kg tobacco rate.

They were speaking at the Kisan convention held at Town Hall arranged by Kisan Board Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

Kisan Board central president Shaukat Ali, provincial president Rizwanullah and General Secretary Abdus Samad and Jamaat-e-Islami provincial ameer Senator Mushtaq Ahmed spoke on the occasion. They said that the tobacco companies should provide loans to the farmers as per the agreements.

They said the government bought quality wheat from the farmers for Rs1350 per 40 kg but they bought poor quality wheat from foreign countries for Rs2500. They added that during the coronavirus pandemic the government gave a package of billions of rupees to the manufacturers but it did not give a rupee to the farmers.

The farmers added that the sugar industry was controlled by six people and they were living a luxury life while millions of farmers were compelled to commit suicides due to starvation.

A resolution was also passed in the convention demanding the government to increase the price of tobacco to Rs300 per kg and also fix the price of gurr and sugarcane. They asked the government to announce farmers friendly policies.