SWABI: Growers started cultivating Virginia and White Patta tobacco in their fields on Friday as the two varieties are the major revenue earners for them.

This total requirement of both the multinational and national crop buyers announced through Pakistan Tobacco Board (PTB) stands at 74.810 million kilogrammes for the current year compared to 77.322 million kg in 2024 and 85.5 million kg in 2023.

During the last two years the companies have slashed their quota by 10.69 million kg, which has left the growers with surplus produce, which they are forced to sell at throwaway price.

“The big issue is that the companies’ demands are decreasing while the tobacco production is increasing. It is the only cash crop with which the full-year expenditures of the farmers are linked,” said Liaqat Yousafzai, central president of Tobacco Growers Association Pakistan.

He said: “The companies have reduced their quota for the current year like 2024 without informing the growers in advance.”

However, when contacted officials of the companies told Dawn on condition of anonymity that they had made clear at the time of releasing the quota for current year that the farmers who failed to execute agreements with the buyers of their choice should give up growing tobacco.

POWER CUTS: Despite the high claims made by the Peshawar Electric Supply Company that there would be no power outage in Ramazan, loadshedding continues to hit consumers in Swabi district.

The consumers in the rural areas are particularly hit by prolonged power cuts.

Siraj Khan of Palodand village said that the Pesco officials did not pay heed to the complaints against prolonged power cuts. When contacted, Pesco officials told Dawn that they had adopted a zero-loadshedding policy in Ramazan, but some time the circumstances forced them to resort to power cuts.

Published in Dawn, March 9th, 2025