Grade out-turn highly encouraging; bright grade accounts for majority of crop this year

Tobacco growers in Prakasam district are gearing up for e-auctions, set to commence on Thursday, with optimism as the Flue Cured Virginia (FCV) tobacco got ‘high price’ in the neighbouring Karnataka State.
They are optimistic given the highly encouraging grade out-turn. Bright grade accounts for about 70 per cent of the total production and the medium grade and low grade the rest, according to sources in the Indian Tobacco Association.
The farmers’ representatives pressed for at least Rs. 160 per kg for bright grade in a pre-trade meeting with trade representatives in view of the increase in cost of production and heavy losses in the last year.
They noted that their Karnataka counterparts had got an average price of Rs. 136.96 for 79 million kg of tobacco marketed by them. The farmers also demanded constitution of the tobacco board with new members, full-time chairman and executive director for them to take up their concerns effectively. Former Tobacco Board member M. Bangarababu said: “Farmers will not part with their produce if they are offered any price less than Rs. 160 per kg for bright grade. The Board should ensure that the average price of Rs. 150 to Rs. 160 per kg.”
The tobacco production in Southern Light Soils (SLS) region has been estimated to be 34.2 million kg as against the crop size of 39.5 million kg, said SLS Regional Manager G. Ratnasagar, gearing up for e-auctions in the auction platforms of Podili-I and II, Kanigiri, Kandukur-I and II, Kondepi, D.C. Palli and Kaligiri from Thursday.
The second phase of the auctions in Southern Black Soil (SBS) platforms will commence on March 11. The production is estimated to be 44 million kg in SBS region as against the crop size of 41.37 million kg, according to SBS Regional Manager G. Bhaskar Reddy.
Tobacco production in the State as a whole is likely to be about 123.95 million as against the crop size of 120 million kg, with slightly more production in Northern Light Soil (NLS) region, according to Tobacco Board sources.


Source : The Hindu