India: Prakasam Ryots Lose Interest in Tobacco Farming

Source from:  The Hindu 09/24/2015

Having burnt their fingers, tobacco growers in Prakasam district are all set to go for alternative crops in a big way.

The task of the Tobacco Board, which reduced the crop size from 172 million kg last year to 120 million kg in the State this year owing to dip in demand for tobacco in the global market, will be relatively easier, with the growers voluntarily switching over to the relatively remunerative crops like chilli and Bengal gram.

Hardly 75 per cent of farmers coming under southern black soil (SBS) and southern light soil (SLS) auction platforms registered their names with the Tobacco Board by September 18, the last date for the purpose, forcing the crop regulator to extend the deadline for registration without fine till September-end.

Even registered growers may move to other commercial crops in the present uncertain market condition, official sources say, adding that market sentiments have not improved even after the Commerce Minister's visit last week. Farmers in tobacco growing areas have already switched over to cultivation of chillis in 8,000 hectares so far, and the extent may go up to 25,000 hectares this year. Likewise, the extent of land under Bengal gram cultivation is likely to double to one lakh hectares during this rabi, says Agriculture Joint Director J. Muralikrishna.

Losing interest in tobacco, the growers have raised tobacco nurseries in 100 hectares as against 365 hectares in SLS region, according to SLS Regional Manager G. Ratnasagar. Meanwhile, former Tobacco Board member M. Bangarababu urged the board to announce a Minimum Guaranteed Price (MGP) so that growers could take a conscious decision whether to grow tobacco or quit. In the SBS auction platforms, the farmers got a relatively better average price of 93.07 per kg marketing so far 49.5 million kg, SBS Regional Manager G. Bhaksar Reddy said. YSRC Whip in Parliament Y.V. Subba Reddy has asked the Centre to double the compensation of Rs. 20 per kg announced by the Union Minister. Enditem