Short Note : Tobacco Production in India

July 3, 2019 September 18, 2020

In a reply provided by the Minister of Commerce & Industry, Piyush Goyal to the Lok Sabha, it was informed that the Tobacco board in India which undertakes various production regulation measures for tobacco in India through group meetings, mass contact programs, ads in the electronic/news media, the distribution of pamphlets, etc have managed to reduce the unauthorized and excess production of Flue-Cured Virginia (FCV) in India.

Steps that were taken

The board aims to ensure that there is a gradual phase-out of tobacco cultivation in both Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka without affecting the income of the farmers.
No new registrations are being granted to new growers.
No permissions for any expansion of infrastructure./facilities to the existing license holders.
To provide sustainable alternatives to the farmers, it is working with the Central Tobacco Research Institute (CTRI).
Awareness about the scheme of Crop Diversification Programmes (CDP) under Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (R.K.V.Y) among the FCV tobacco growers for shifting to alternative crops is also being carried out by the board in close collaboration by the state governments.
Board also lays down the production policy and fixes crop size for Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka separately