ISLAMABAD: While igno­ring the recommendations of a parliamentary panel on agriculture, the government on Monday approved about 7.6 per cent increase in minimum indicative prices (MIPs) of tobacco crop for 2022.

A special meeting of the Economic Coordination Comm­ittee of the cabinet, virtually presided over by Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin, on Monday approved the MIPs proposed by National Food Security Minister Syed Fakhar Imam for various types of tobacco.

The prices would be ultimately notified after ratification of the decision by the federal cabinet.

Under the decision, the MIP for major variety — Flue Cured Virginia (FCV) of plain area — was set at Rs240 per kg that currently stood at Rs215-223. This was against a MIP of Rs260 recommended by a special committee led by National Ass­embly Speaker Asad Qaiser.

The ECC set MIP of Rs281.13 per kg for FCV grown in sub-mountainous area. The MIP for Dark Air-Cured Tobacco was set at Rs149.09 per kg while MIP for White Patta, Naswar, Snuff, Hooka and other rustica tobacco was fixed at Rs123. For Burley tobacco which is produced at a small scale in Swat was set at Rs187.50 per kg.

Published in Dawn, January 25th, 2022