SWABI, Dec 22: Tobacco purchasing firms have increased the quota of different varieties of tobacco by 85 per cent for 2005. About 15 companies have advised the growers to improve the quality of their crop in the wake of enhancing the quota.

The total quota of different varieties of tobacco is 65.34 million kilogramme, according to a copy of tobacco requirements quota prepared by the companies for 2005. Each company has informed the Pakistan Tobacco Board (PTB) about its requirements for 2005 and according to this quota, the companies are making agreements with the growers of their choice.

The total demand for the flue-cured Virginia (FCV) increased by 18.98 per cent, dark-air-cured (DAC) by 107.12 per cent, white patta (WP) by 120.48 per cent and barley tobacco 10.31 per cent, whereas the total demand for the FCV is 59.84 million kilogramme, DAC is 1.42 million kg, WP is 2.31 million-kg and barely is 1.76 million kg.

The farmers of districts Swabi, Mardan, Charsadda, Mansehra and Buner have grown the former variety, it was learnt. It was the first occasion during the past three years that the companies have increased their tobacco quota.

In the past, the firms announced on loudspeakers that the growers should avoid cultivating surplus tobacco and that the companies had exhausted their purchasing power to buy such surplus tobacco.

The requirements of Lakson Tobacco Company (LTC) for the FCV is 34 million kg, DAC 1 million kg, WP 1 million kg and barely 0.75 million kg. The PTC demand is 23.10 million kg for the FCV, 0.40 million kg for the DAC, 1.20 million kg for the WP and 1 million-kg for barley tobacco.

The LTC and PTC are the two major buyers in the country. Out of the 59.84 million kg quota of the FCV, the two companies would purchase 57.10 million kg and the remaining would be purchased by other 13 companies.

Similarly, out of the 2.31 million kg of the WP, the LTC and PTC would purchase 2.20 million kg, whereas out of the 1.42 million kg of the DAC, they would buy 1.40 million kg. They would also buy 1.75 million kg barely tobacco out of the total demand of 1.76 million kg.

Only the Sarhad Cigarette Industry (SCI) would purchase 0.01 million kg barley tobacco, while none of the remaining companies would buy this variety. The SCI demand for the FCV is 0.30 million kg, for the DAC 0.02 million kg and for the WP 0.02 million kg.

Similarly, the Souvenir Tobacco Company would buy 0.75 million kg FCV, while the Imperial Cigarette Industry and Walton Tobacco Company each would purchase 0.40 million kg FCV. The International Cigarette Company's demand is 0.30 million kg FCV and Khyber Tobacco Company would purchase 0.10 million kg FCV.

The National Tobacco Industry would buy 0.15 million kg FCV and 0.030 million kg WP, Salim Cigarette Industry 0.80 million kg of the FCV, Hill Top Tobacco Company 0.05 million kg of the FCV, 0.005 million kg of the DAC and 0.01 million kg WP.

The Watan Tobacco Company and Universal Tobacco Company each would purchase 0.06 million of the FCV, Bilal Tobacco Company 0.04 million kg of the FCV and Shaheen Tobacco Company 0.05 million kg of the FCV.