PESHAWAR, Nov 2: Pakistan Tobacco Board (PTB) has advised growers to plan their tobacco crop for the up-coming cropping season  keeping in view the overall demand the  cigarette manufacturing units have placed to it for the year 2002.

Besides, the growers have also been asked to sign the requisite agreements with the cigarette manufacturing units in time so that they could avoid any hardship, according to a PTB Press release issued here on Thursday.

The PTB has said that for the year 2002 cropping season the cigarette manufacturing units would require 45.1 million kilogramme high quality flue-cured tobacco, 1.6 million kilograms dark air-cured tobacco, 2.1 million kilogramme white patta tobacco and 1.1 million kilogramme of burley tobacco.

In comparison to 2001 cropping season the projected demand of tobacco for the 2002 season appeared to be less, the Press release added.

Tobacco growers have been advised not to grow tobacco beyond the demand placed by the cigarette manufacturers as the manufacturers would not purchase from ‘independent growers’ without signed agreements, the PTB said.