The Kashthkar Coordination Council accused government commerce officials, the Pakistan Tobacco Board, buyers and selected farmers of price fixing to the detriment of poor growers, the newspaper Dawn said.

Prices regularly are fixed, the growers group charged as leaf purchasing began at the Firdusabad (Charbagh) purchasing centre, Dawn said. This year’s maximum has been set at PKR 186 (EUR 1.54) per kg, but growers are demanding PKR 250, the newspaper said. The district grows mostly White Patta and flue-cured Virginia, according to Dawn.