SWABI, July 28: Tobacco growers on Saturday again staged a protest march against the companies and commerce ministry for not determining fair price of their tobacco harvest. They warned parliamentarians belonging to the district to come out with a clear commitment whether they are with the multinational companies or poor farmers of their constituencies.

Despite scorching heat and ongoing fasting month, the growers gathered and held a meeting at Charbagi here. They then marched to Pakistan Tobacco Company (PTC) offices at Firdousabad in a procession while chanting slogans against Pakistan Tobacco Board, federal and provincial governments and buyers for not giving them their due rights. They were holding placards inscribed with anti-PTB and anti-government slogans.

The procession converted into a public meeting in front of the PTC offices and leaders of Kashthkar Coordination Council, Anjuman-i-Kashthkaran and other farmers spoke to the protesters.

KCC patron-in-chief Arif Khan, general secretary Liaquat Yusufzai, grower Mohammad Ali, district president of Anjuman-i-Kashthkaran Alam Sher Gohati and others warned the parliamentarians that they should come out from their air-conditioned rooms and solve the problems being faced by growers of the district. The growers sought their urgent help to save them from the exploitation of national and multinational companies, who wanted to buy their tobacco crop at low prices.

“We have allowed growers to take their crop to depots, but the leaf mangers are not paying them fair price of their production,” said Mr Yousufzai, asking the public representatives to protect the rights of their people instead of remaining silent over the buyers’ excesses.

The growers have set a six-day deadline to the companies to increase the price of tobacco. “In case of failure, no one would be allowed to take their FCV bales to the companies,” warned Mr Arif.

Mohammad Ali said that the companies would not be allowed to loot growers by paying them meagre price for their tobacco harvest. In a token protest, the farmers also set a bunch of tobacco leaves on fire on Swabi-Mardan road and kept the road closed for about 15 minutes.