India: Fine Grade Tobacco Records Highest Price

Source from:  The New Indian Express 06/18/2013

Recording the highest price in the last three years, the fine grade tobacco was sold  at  148.50 per kg at Tangutur-I auction centre, Rs148 per kg at Ongole-II and Rs 147 to Rs 143 per kg at other centres Saturday.

Virginia Tobacco Growers' Welfare Association honorary president Chunduri Ranga Rao and ad president, Chunchu Seshaiah said that this is the first time that the tobacco farmers have got a fair price of `148 per kg in the past three years and asked the Tobacco Board to initiate steps for continuation of the progress to help tobacco farmers.

The Tobacco Board has purchased 65 million kg of produce in the district till date. Tobacco farmers, who have stocked the produce in the hope of netting the best price, are preparing to sell all the stocks making good use of the situation.

In the last three years, the tobacco price was limited to Rs 120 to Rs 124 per kg.

The Tobacco Board is operating auction centres at Ongole, Kandukur, Tangutur, Podili, Vellampalli and Kondepi of the district to purchase tobacco from farmers. ITC, GTC and other companies or traders are purchasing tobacco at these centres but the farmers complain of poor prices due to purchasers forming a syndicate. Farmers have got `110 to `120 per kg price during auctions till last week but as the tobacco auctions have completed in the Karnataka state and in view of the completion of the season in Praksam in July, purchasers have increased the price, said AP Rythu Sangham district secretary N Ranga Rao.

Prakasam district accounts for a major chunk of tobacco production in the state as the soil in the district is congenial to the cultivation of fine variety.

The sandy and black soils of Kandukur, Podili, PC Palli, Addanki, Maddipadu, Santanutalapadu, Naguluppalapadu, Korisapadu, Ongole, Tangutur, Zarugumalli, Singarayakonda, Kanigiri and other areas are helpful in tobacco cultivation. Hence, several farmers prefer tobacco cultivation in these areas. As many as 29,200 tobacco farmers in the district are taking up tobacco cultivation in 86,000 hectares in the district. Enditem