Swabi Tobacco growers burn crop over disputed prices, demand fair rate

The protest was held outside the Swabi Press Club, where farmers were joined by political and social activists as well as members of the local community.

SWABI: Tobacco growers in Swabi took to the streets on Monday, protesting against what they described as unfairly low purchase prices for their crop and demanding enforcement of the official rate announced by the Pakistan Tobacco Board.

The protest was held outside the Swabi Press Club, where farmers were joined by political and social activists as well as members of the local community. Growers said they were being offered as little as Rs350 per kilogram, despite the official rate of Rs750 per kilogram.

During the demonstration, tobacco grower and former ANP district general secretary Haji Tameez Khan burned around 500 kilograms of his tobacco crop to highlight the financial pressure facing farmers.

Speaking at the protest, Khan said the cost of producing tobacco had reached nearly Rs750 per kilogram, making offers of Rs350 to Rs400 per kilogram unsustainable for growers. He said farmers had already suffered substantial losses in the previous season and were now struggling to clear debts owed to labourers and suppliers.

Khan said tobacco was a major cash crop and generated significant revenue for the cigarette industry, yet farmers remained uncertain about receiving a price that covered their production costs. He warned that continued failure to address the issue could lead more growers to adopt similar forms of protest.

The protesters also criticised the Pakistan Tobacco Board and tobacco companies for failing to resolve the pricing dispute. They called on the authorities to ensure that tobacco-buying companies adhere to the officially approved rate and protect farmers from losses.

National Awami Party district chairman Masood Jabbar said tobacco was a key source of income for Swabi’s farming community. He warned that failure to address growers’ grievances could lead to wider protests across the district, with more farmers expected to join future demonstrations.