North Carolina tobacco growers have agreed to continue funding tobacco-agricultural research for another six years.

More than 92 percent of tobacco growers in the state who voted favored the North Carolina Tobacco Research Check-off Referendum, which calls for growers to allocate 10 cents per 100 pounds of flue-cured and burley tobacco to tobacco research and education. The referendum is voted on every six years and must be approved by two-thirds of voters to pass.

The funds are collected at buying stations by the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and then allocated to North Carolina State University by the North Carolina Tobacco Research Commission. Since 1991, the program has raised nearly $300,000 a year to support projects at NCSU.

“The tobacco check-off funds have resulted in many important developments for the state’s burley and flue-cured tobacco farmers, including variety development, improved nitrogen management, advanced curing technologies and breakthroughs in pest and disease management,” said Johnny Wynne, dean of NCSU’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.

Tobacco growers have been forced to fund nearly all research into improved tobacco agriculture practices. The federal government ceased tobacco research funding in 1994, and state support has declined due to budget deficits.

“This referendum is critical for North Carolina tobacco growers to remain competitive in the world market,” said Keith Oakley, president of the North Carolina Tobacco Foundation. “By voting to continue this self-help program, the state’s tobacco growers are making an important investment in the future of tobacco production, research and education in North Carolina.”

Tobacco growers of Mysore district today blamed the Tobacco Board for fall in prices of the globally much-sought after India’s flue cured Virginia (FCV) tobacco cultivated in Karnataka.

“Though open auction system for the sale of tobacco operates, the Board and the tobacco-buying companies have colluded and fixed a single ceiling rate, jeopardizing the interests of the cultivators, Virginia Tobacco Growers’ State-level President Javare Gowda charged here today.

He, along with other tobacco growers’ association leaders, told a press conference that consequent to the Board’s anti-farmers’ attitude, tobacco cultivators were not even able to cover their expenses.

Javare Gowda opposed the proposal of Board chairman J Suresh Babu to introduce open market system for tobacco marketing.

“If traders are allowed to buy directly from the market, the growers’ interests would totally suffer. The Board is safeguarding the interests of the traders instead of protecting the farmers,” he citicised, urging the Centre not to allow the proposed open market system for tobacco.

SC & ST Tobacco Growers’ Association State President Nagaraj Malladi said despite good prices in the international market for Indian tobacco, with its anti-growers’ approach the Board was compelling them to sell tobacco at lower prices than the previous year. They were getting Rs 120-125 as against Rs 198 a kg last year.

Though two months had passed since the commencement of tobacco auction during the current season, the Board had not appointed vigilance squads to check unofficial sale of tobacco. Companies had bought around 10 million kg tobacco outside and this had affected the rate the cultivators should have got. “This clearly shows that the Board is hand in glove with the traders,” he said.

Another leader Chandre Gowda charged that the Board had deducted Rs. 1,218 as insurance premium from their amount without their knowledge.

This had proved a burden to the cultivators who were already hit by low prices. This amount should be refunded, he said. Making a demand for immediate introduction of electronic auction, which the Board had decided earlier and spent money too, District Farmers’ Association president Hosur Kumar said electronic auction was aimed at reforming tobacco marketing and would ensure fair marketing and increase competition in the tobacco market.

The leaders cautioned the Board that if it failed to meet their demands and bring about changes in the interest of tobacco cultivators, they would be compelled to resort to agitation. They also pleaded with the Centre and State governments to intervene and protect their interests.

Last year, Karnataka had marketed 109.71 million kg tobacco at an average price of Rs 114 per kg, against its authorised production of 97.3 million kg. Andhra Pradesh had marketed 84.75 million kg at a higher average price of Rs 165.3 a kg. Its authorised production was 149.9 million kg. Karnataka’s 2009 authorized crop has exceeded 100 million kg for the first time.

Chennai/ Mysore 10 November, 2009, Business-standard

HYDERABAD: The State Government is contemplating providing crop loans to tobacco- growers under the Pavala Vaddi scheme,, Agriculture Minister N Raghuveera Reddy has said.

Addressing farmers at the 10th Tobacco Institute of India awards here today, Reddy said that only 20 per cent of Indians smoked or chewed tobacco as against 90 per cent in western countries. Nearly 80 per cent of the total tobacco production in the country was being exported.

“Despite their big contribution to the Indian GDP and exports, the Indian tobacco farmers are not getting enough encouragement,’’ he observed.

Recalling the late chief minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy’s contribution to the welfare of the farming community, the agriculture minster said farmers had lost a a great leader.

“We will continue to support the farmers,’’ he assured.

Stating that the Centre was adopting stringent policies to curb tobacco production, director of Tobacco Institute of India Udayan Lal requested the Union Government to keep in mind the problems being faced by tobacco-growers before passing the Act. “The stringent laws are discouraging tobacco cultivators,’’ he said while urging the minister to take up the matter with the Centre.

Presenting the awards to farmers, the minister appreciated the efforts of the farmers despite several hurdles in cultivating tobacco.

The TII presented 15 awards to tobacco-growers from Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka _ seven in the Best Farmer category, seven Recognition awards and one Lifetime Achievement award.

The Best Farmer and Lifetime Achievement award winners received Rs 20,000 cash prize and a citation, and the Recognition award recipients were given a Rs 10,000 cash prize and a citation.

The TII has been presenting these awards since 1999 to encourage the progressive and scientific agricultural practices by the Indian tobacco farming community.

16 Oct 2009 Expressbuzz