India: Tobacco Board on a ''clean & green'' Drive

Source from:  The Hindu 03/20/2015

The Tobacco Board will take all steps to promote the 'clean tobacco' in international market to ensure the best price to the farmers for their produce, according to its Chairman K. Gopal.

Mr. Gopal, who visited Ongole on Wednesday to hear the woes of tobacco growers, said that he would send a delegation to Egypt next month, followed by visits to China, Thailand and participation in international exhibitions scheduled to be held in Poland and London, to market pesticide-residue free and non-tobacco related material free tobacco produced by the farmers in Prakasam district.

For the first time, 225 samples of tobacco produced in different regions were showcased to manufacturers and traders in Guntur, he said, adding: "We will ensure special orders for Indian tobacco from new overseas customers. The revenue from exports is likely to go up by Rs. 500 crore, taking the total up to Rs 6,500 crore this fiscal." He also monitored the ongoing e-auctioning of tobacco on the Ongole II platform.

A proposal to allow international players to directly take part in auctions here was under the consideration of the Centre, he said, adding that a new auction platform would start operations at Kanigiri next month. Farmers have already sold 21,472.10 kg of tobacco in Southern Black Soil platforms and got an average price of Rs. 122.40 kg, while the same for the Southern Light Soil platforms stood at Rs. 117.13 by selling of 61,384.70 kg of the produce.

Meanwhile, the ryots urged Mr. Gopal to ensure a better average price of Rs. 115 a kg for the mixed crop this year, pointing out that medium and low grade produce accounted for 60 per cent of the total production of around 185 million kg.

"With 25 million kg of the total 100 million kg of tobacco production yet to be marketed in Karnataka, we expect the market to become active only by second week of April," said Ongole II Ryots president V.V. Prasad.

A farmer Paturi Venkateswarulu urged Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu to cut down Value-Added Tax on tobacco, while Ongole I Ryots president S. Gurava Reddy wanted Mr. Naidu to use his good offices to curb smuggling of illegal cigarettes from neighbouring countries including Pakistan and Bangladesh. "Mr. Naidu should ensure at least 20 million kg special order from China during his upcoming visit to that country," Sunil Babu, a tobacco grower said. Enditem