Tobacco Auctions Remain Suspended

Source from:  Hindu 06/16/2011

ONGOLE: The 48-hour fast by Telugu Desam MLA from Markapur K. Narayana Reddy at Podili in Prakasam district in support of tobacco farmers agitating for a remunerative price entered the second day on Tuesday. Auctions across the 11 platforms in the district continued to remain suspended as the farmers withdrew their produce from the market in protest against the manufacturers and exporters drastically cutting the offer price. 48-hour fast planned Meanwhile, expressing solidarity with the fasting MLA at Podili, TDP farmers' wing president K. Venkaiah said he would launch a 48-hour fast in front of Ongole I platform from Thursday if the Tobacco Board failed to resolve the problem by then. Mr. Venkaiah said it was the board's responsibility to ensure that buyers kept their promise to provide Rs. 124 per kg for bright grade following mediation by board Chairman G. Kamalavardhana Rao in April. "The board should either convince the traders or directly intervene in the market and purchase the produce," he said. Tobacco Board former member M. Bangara Babu alleged that the Union and State governments remained a mute spectator even as traders formed themselves into a syndicate and dictated terms to farmers who had produced bright grade tobacco sticking to the crop size fixed by the board. "We will press for crop holiday during the next season and deregulation of tobacco cultivation altogether by the Union government," he said. "What is the sanctity for the indent filed by traders and crop size fixed by the board?" he asked. Enditem