India: Farmers Urge Government To Fix Remunerative Price For Tobacco

Source from:  Tobacco Reporter 11/03/2014

Tobacco growers in Arkalgud taluk have resolved to stage a protest on November 3 seeking remunerative price for tobacco, a major commercial crop of the taluk.

The protest will be staged in front of the tobacco market at Ramanathapura in the taluk, under the banner of Potato Club of Arkalgud.

At present, the high quality tobacco is purchased from growers at Rs. 80 a kg. Growers want the average minimum price fixed at Rs. 200 a kg., considering the expenditure and the hours of work spent on cultivating the crop, said H. Yoga Ramesh, president of the club.

Speaking to presspersons at Arkalgud on Wednesday, Mr. Ramesh said that for many years, the growers had been seeking remunerative price for tobacco. However, neither the Tobacco Board nor the elected representatives had bothered to consider the demand.

"The government responds to the problems of other farmers, if they suffer loss either due to drought or heavy rain.

However, the problems of tobacco growers remain unresolved.

The protest is to make the government think about this section of farmers, who are being cheated for many years," he said. Enditem