India, Korea - South: Growers Demand Alternative to Tobacco Before Cut in Crop Area

Source from:  Business Line (The Hindu)  10/08/2012

Tobacco growers have urged Union Commerce Ministry to provide viable alternatives before supporting World Health Organisation's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). FCTC Conference of Parties meet is scheduled in Seoul, South Korea from November 12-17. "The issue assumes greater urgency as the recommendations on alternatives to tobacco is not worked out yet and also few drastic recommendations by the working group such as dismantling bodies promoting tobacco is alarming," B.V. Javare Gowda, President, Karnataka Tobacco Growers Association, told Business Line. NLS Tobacco Growers Association, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka Tobacco Growers Association along with Consortium of Indian Farmers Association met both the Commerce Minister Anand Sharma and the Minister of State Jyotiraditya Scindia. Initially, anticipating a demand for tobacco leaf, the FCTC had recommended that tobacco producing countries should promote viable alternatives for tobacco growers and workers. "Contrary to these recommendations of the FCTC, the working group is now seeking to promote a tobacco farming reduction strategy by limiting and reducing the area allocated for tobacco cultivation," said Gowda. Crop reduction in India is expected to help other competitive tobacco growing countries such as the US, Argentina, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Tanzania and Indonesia, who are yet to ratify the FCTC. According to Vikram Raj Urs, Secretary, Karnataka Tobacco Growers Association, "Tobacco exports earn around Rs 4,000 crore in foreign exchange to the country ." Enditem