India: Activists Protest Against Centre Buying Excess FCV Tobacco

Source from:  The Hindu 02/24/2016

The Centre's recent move to buy excess Flue-Cured Virginia (FCV) tobacco produced by registered and unregistered growers, has upset anti-tobacco activists who argue that the move contradicts the country's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) commitment.

India has to reduce tobacco cultivation by 2020 and therefore it is under obligation to bring down the production. Among the 150 countries, India is one of the signatories to the FCTC, sponsored by the World Health Organisation (WHO). Anti-tobacco activists have been urging tobacco farmers to support the cause and switch over to other crops.

"The Centre is encouraging growers to produce more tobacco when excess produce is bought by levying a fee. This is nothing but contravening with the commitment," observed Anti Tobacco Forum (ATF) Convener Vasanthkumar Mysoremath.

In response to the Tobacco Board's move, Mr. Mysoremath told The Hindu, "Such a move will be a stumbling block to FCTC commitment. It will only encourage farmers to take up tobacco cultivation instead of reducing the cultivation."

A recent circular from the Tobacco Board announced purchase excess FCV tobacco from registered and unregistered growers for the 2015-16 Karnataka crop season. Each registered grower has to pay Rs. 2 a kg and 7.5 per cent of the proceeds of the sale to the tobacco fund for the excess FCV produced by him or her to the extent of 10 per cent of the quota authorised for the crop season.

Likewise, Rs. 2 a kg and 15 per cent of the proceeds of the sale should be contributed to the fund by an unregistered grower.

While urging the Centre to withdraw the circular, Mr. Mysoremath said the Centre should have taken a bold step by reducing the cultivation by 15-20 percent every year and encouraged growers to switch over to other suitable crops, especially food crops.

Over 45,000-50,000 farmers cultivate tobacco in over one lakh hectares in Mysuru district alone. At least, 80 per cent of the tobacco grown in Mysuru is exported.

An average price for 1 kg of tobacco in Mysuru market is around Rs. 130 and the average yield per acre is around 600 to 700 kg.

More than one lakh small and marginal farmers in Mysuru, Hassan and Chamarajanagar districts are dependent on FCV tobacco crop for their livelihood. Enditem