• Investment World
• eWorld
• Catalyst
• Mentor
• Life
• Canvas
• Praxis
• Urban Pulse
• Brand Quest

Our Bureau

ONGOLE, May 2

THE tobacco farmers in the Andhra Pradesh are planning to block rail and road traffic on May 10 to register their protest against the slow pace of auctions and the poor prices on the floors.

A decision to this effect was taken here at a meeting of the farmers' associations. Mr Ch. Ranga Rao, the representative of farmers on the Tobacco Board, Mr Ch. Ramanayya Naidu, the Vice-Chairman of the board, and leaders of several farmers' associations affiliated to the Left parties participated in the meeting. The agitation programme would be carried out in all the areas under the 21 tobacco auction floors in the State.

The farmers complained that after more than three months of auctions not even one-third of the crop produced in the State had been sold on the floors and the prices were declining by the day. Till this week, only 33 million kg of the crop could be sold on the floors at an average price of Rs 40-41 per kg against the authorised crop size of 100 mkg. The actual production is estimated at 113 mkg.

They regretted that even after the crop holiday for a season in Andhra Pradesh, the trade was not able to liquidate the stocks due to the credibility crisis.

The representatives also urged the State Government to sanction Rs 25 crore as loan to the Tobacco Farmers' Co-operative Union here to take up purchases. The State Government had agreed to sanction Rs 13 crore for the same and to release Rs 3 crore immediately, but that would be giving too little too late, they said.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section
Karnataka urged not to auction floriculture units

Copyright © 2002, The Hindu Business Line. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu Business Line