Tobacco growers seek dues recovery

MARDAN: Anjuman-e-Kashtkaraan provincial president Niamat Shah Roghani on Tuesday asked the government to help recover their dues running into millions from the tobacco companies.

In a statement, he said the tobacco companies had not paid the money to the growers. He said the growers needed the money to cultivate their fields and run their households.

Niamat Shah said the growers were unable to make ends meet in the prevailing situation, asking the government to put pressure on the tobacco companies to repay the dues to the farmers.

He said the growers had run into debt and were unable to bring their land under cultivation for want of money.

The representative of the growers said that the tobacco companies were unable to make the payment to the farmers on time, which had added to their financial problems.

The tobacco growers, he said, would be compelled to stage a protest if the companies did not pay them their outstanding arrears.