Farmers Concerned Over Phasing Out of Tobacco by 2010

Source from:  UNI 07/05/2011

Mysore, Jul 3: Tobacco cultivation in Mysore district has brought economic benefits to the farmers, but the fact that it will be phased out by 2020 as per the World Trade Organisation (WTO) agreement is a major concern among the growers. Majority of the tobacco growers in the state are from Mysore district apart from Arkalgud in Hassan district. According to statistics available, more than 40,000 farmers depend on tobacco for livelihood in Karnataka with a total cultivation of over 85,000 hectares. H D Kote, Hunsur, K R Nagar and Periyapatna in Mysore district and Arkalgud in Hassan district are prominent tobacco-growing areas in the state. Indeed much against the stipulation that tobacco cultivation should be brought down in the country by 50 per cent by 2020 before eventually being phased out, tobacco cultivation in the state has grown in terms of cultivation area and productivity. Statistics show that despite the WTO agreement to which India is the signatory, tobacco cultivation has increased in the state in the last five years. Enditem