Peshawar: The decision to increase the tax on tobacco crop by 700% will destroy the tobacco farmers. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur should immediately cancel this tax increase. This was expressed by Rustam Khan, Member Pakistan Tobacco Board and President Farm Service Center Mansehr along with other representatives of tobacco farmers in a press conference at Peshawar Press Club.
Various representatives of tobacco growers Akhtar Zeib, President Tobacco Growers Association, Professor Hameed Rehman, President Bunir Tobacco Association, Shamsher Bacha, Tobacco Growers and President ANP Tehsil Mardan, Iftikhar Khan, Secretary, Farm Service Center Mansehra, Saifur Rehman, General Secretary Tobacco Growers, Mansehra, Anwar Sher, General Secretary Farmers Association Mansehra, Khalil Khan, leader of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf attended the press conference.
In the combined statement on this occasion, they said that tobacco crop is the only cash crop of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. More than twelve lakh people are directly or indirectly associated with the tobacco crop, whereas more than 75 thousand farmers are directly involved in the tobacco cultivation.
In the recent budget of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the government has increased tax on tobacco by 700% and the tax has been increased from Rs.6 per kg to Rs.50 per kg.
They added that after this massive increase, cigarette companies will reduce their demand for the next year and will not buy tobacco from farmers. Which will have a direct negative effect on farmers.
Annually 70 billion rupees are added to the tobacco-related economy in Swabi, Mardan, Charsadda, Banir, Mansehra.
Last year, for export purposes exporters submitted 50 million kg demand to Pakistan Tobacco Board. Now after this heavy taxation, exporters will be unable to compete in the international market. Ultimately they will not purchase tobacco from the farmers.
It is extremely sad that Ali Amin Gandapur, who is a resident of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is allowing such anti-farmer policies. 75 thousand farmers request Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur to look into matters and cancel this cruel taxation policy
