Indian Sales Continuing Apace

Source from:  Tobacco Reporter 05/23/2012

May 22, 2012-Flue-cured tobacco growers in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh have so far sold 44 per cent more leaf than they had at the equivalent stage of last season's auction sales, according to a story in the latest issue of the BBM Bommidala Group newsletter. So far this season, 52.04 million kg of tobacco has been sold, compared with 36.03 million kg last year. The current average price is Rs101.62 per kg. The authorized crop size, which is set by the Tobacco Board, was this season pegged at 161.43 million kg. Meanwhile, the minister of state for commerce and industry, Jyotiraditya M. Scindia, has told the Lok Sabha, the lower house of parliament, that farmers in India are receiving adequate assistance in respect of the production of flue-cured tobacco. He said the assistance was sufficient to allow them to boost productivity and therefore to be strongly competitive on global markets. The assistance included the introduction of mechanical transplanters so as to help overcome labor shortages and the provision of hybrid seeds for improving yields and quality.Enditem