Andhra Growers Protest at Poor Prices

Source from:  Tobacco Reporter 05/26/2011

Tobacco growers in Andhra Pradesh are protesting about what they see as the low prices being offered for their flue-cured leaf, according to a story in the latest issue of the BBM Bommidala Group newsletter. Growers have halted auctions this week at the Ongole II platform where traders were offering about Rs80 per kg. The growers have been demanding at least Rs120 per kg. Tobacco Board of India officials said that bright varieties of tobacco were selling for about Rs118 per kg and medium grades were fetching between Rs105 and Rs110 per kg. Only low quality tobacco, which made up about one per cent of the total production, was attracting offers of about Rs80 per kg. The government's appraisal of the situation seemed only to confirm what the growers were saying, however. None of the prices quoted by the board, including that for the best grades, seemed to be meeting the growers' minimum demand. Enditem