SWABI, Nov 30: The Pakistan Tobacco Company (PTC) has slashed tobacco quota for the next season by 40 per cent and advised the former agreement holders to avoid cultivating the crop.

Sources in the PTC told Dawn here on Sunday that the growers had been informed that the company was not in a position to execute agreements with all the former agreement holders. The cut-off, the sources said, had been done according to the requirements of tobacco marketing law, MLO 487, as the PTC had reduced its quota by two million kilograms due to unfavourable circumstances.

The sources said the Lakson Tobacco Company had also reduced its quota by one million kilograms. The LTC would also cut off some of the agreements, they added.

However, they said, the PTC had notified the cut-off and the LTC would soon issue orders to this effect.

They further said that the PTC officials had also held meetings with MNAs, MPAs and Nazims so as to inform them the prevailing circumstances and the company’s decision to avoid law and order situation.

During the past 10 years, the sources said, the PTC had purchased the bulk of surplus tobacco which resulted in exhausting of its purchasing power.

When contacted, PTC leaf manager Mr Ashfaq said: “We would not purchase more surplus tobacco and, for this purpose, we had not only announced their quota, but also held meetings with the growers that they should avoid producing surplus crop.”