Karnataka growers seen returning to tobacco

Vishwanath Kulkarni Transplantation of tobacco has begun in Karnataka and it is explained to obtain momentum above future several months even as a part of farmers who had switched above to other crops like ginger very last yr are viewed coming back to the income crop.

A short while ago, the Tobacco Board mounted the crop measurement for Karnataka in the 2021-22 period at ninety seven million kgs, better than preceding year’s 88 million kgs.

“We assume the farmers to return to tobacco this yr,” explained BV Javare Gowda, President, Federation of Karnataka Virginia Tobacco Growers Affiliation. Karnataka’s crop measurement for 2021-22 is the ordinary for the previous 3 several years and is marginally reduce than the growers’ request of a hundred million kgs, Gowda explained.

Very last yr, the crop measurement was shrunk to 88 million kgs owing to the spread of Covid-19 pandemic, explained Gowda, former vice-chairman, Tobacco Board.

Virginia tobacco is largely grown in Mysuru and Hassan districts of Karnataka and the place is believed to be in between 70,000 hectares and just one lakh hectares. Karnataka is the 2nd major producer of tobacco immediately after neighbouring Andhra Pradesh, the place the 2020-21 crop is at the moment getting auctioned.

The flue-fixed viriginia tobacco developed in Karntaka is largely exported and made use of for blending with other variety. Gowda explained about 80 for every cent of the virginia tobacco grown in Karnataka is exported.

Weak returns

Gowda explained the bad returns from ginger and an raise in auction prices toward the fag-conclusion of period in early March would prompt growers to return to tobacco this yr. The ordinary prices for the 2020-21 auction period was all over ₹121 a kg, reduce than the preceding yr owing to high quality concerns, Gowda explained. Excess rains in the generating locations had impacted the high quality and productiveness of the tobacco crop very last yr. Nonetheless, through February-conclusion and early-March, tobacco prices went up as high as ₹250-260 for every kg and that would entice growers’ fascination, he explained.

Mysuru to keep

In Mysuru district, the place is possible to continue being in between 43,000 hectares and 45,000 hectares this yr, almost equivalent to very last yr, explained Mahanteshappa, Joint Director, Office of Agriculture, Government of Karnataka. In reality, Mahanteshappa explained that tobacco place in Mysuru district has appear down from about seventy five,000 hectares to 45,000 ha above the previous seven-eight several years.

Vikram Raj Urs, Secretary of Federation of Karnataka Virginia Tobacco Growers Affiliation, explained pre-monsoon rains have been fantastic in the generating locations and that transplantation has been carried out in two,000 hectares. Not like Gowda, Urs does not assume the return of farmers to tobacco from ginger. He explained ginger is an easy crop and for farmers, who had grown on leased lands, had fetched reduce returns.