Govt Announces New Price for 2026 Tobacco Crop

The government of Pakistan has set a minimum price of Rs. 525 per kilogram for the tobacco crop in the year 2026, according to sources cited by ProPakistani. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, located in the north-western part of the country, is the principal tobacco-growing region. This area is especially renowned for the production of flue-cured Virginia tobacco, which is a key ingredient in cigarette production.

Key towns and districts involved in tobacco cultivation within Khyber Pakhtunkhwa include Swabi, Mardan, Charsadda, Buner, and Mansehra.

The Pakistan Tobacco Board, which is responsible for regulating the industry, estimates that the tobacco sector provides livelihoods for approximately 80,000 farmers across the nation. Out of these, over 45,000 are located in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa alone. Tobacco cultivation also takes place in other provinces like Punjab, with a variety of tobacco strains being produced to cater to different market demands.

Beyond the cigarette manufacturing industry, tobacco is utilized in producing other tobacco products such as naswar, snuff, and hookah tobacco.

The Pakistan Tobacco Board is in charge of a number of essential duties including setting prices, conducting cost surveys of production, forecasting market trends, and arranging purchases between tobacco growers and tobacco companies. This regulatory body ensures that the tobacco industry operates smoothly and fairly. The announcement of the new minimum price for the 2026 tobacco crop was initially reported by ProPakistani.