Govt to stop Black Burley tobacco cultivation

Vijayawada: The state government has imposed a complete curb on the cultivation of Black Burley tobacco and issued clear directions to the district collectors of major tobacco-growing districts to ensure strict enforcement. Special chief secretary, agriculture, Budithi Rajashekar directed that any instance of Black Burley tobacco cultivation must be prevented immediately.

It has been made mandatory that farmers cultivating White Burley tobacco must enter into 100 per cent buyback purchase agreements with tobacco purchasing companies. The government has also clarified that it will not intervene in or take responsibility for the procurement of White Burley tobacco in future.

District collectors have been instructed to further strengthen and activate Task Force teams to maintain strict surveillance over tobacco nurseries and take firm action against the raising of Black Burley seedlings and the use of Black Burley tobacco seeds. Collectors have also been asked to create awareness among farmers regarding the necessity of buyback agreements with tobacco companies before taking up White Burley tobacco cultivation. These directions were issued during a video conference review meeting held on Monday chaired by Rajashekar with the district collectors of Guntur, Bapatla, Palnadu and Prakasam districts, along with district agriculture officers.

The meeting reviewed restrictions on Black Burley tobacco cultivation, enforcement measures by Task Force teams, and compliance with mandatory purchase agreements for White Burley tobacco.

Director of agriculture Dr Manazir Jeelani Samoon, executive director of Tobacco Board Viswasri, secretary of Indian Tobacco Association Yarlagadda Chowdary and representatives of tobacco purchasing companies including ITC, GPI and others attended the meeting.

Addressing the meeting, the special chief secretary recalled that for the first time in the state’s history, the state government had procured 19.79 million kilograms of Black Burley tobacco from 11,990 farmers during the previous year by releasing Rs 146 crore through Markfed.

He noted that farmers had assured the Government at that time that they would not cultivate Black Burley tobacco in future and had sought remunerative prices for unsold stock accumulated due to lack of market. Despite financial constraints, the Chief Minister personally intervened to support the farmers.

Dr Manazir Jeelani Samoon directed tobacco purchasing companies to mandatorily submit complete details of White Burley tobacco farmers and their purchase agreements to the district agriculture officers. Yarlagadda Chowdary stated that no Black Burley tobacco cultivation exists in tobacco nurseries at present.

In his concluding remarks, Rajashekar stressed that Task Force teams must remain proactive and vigilant to prevent any unauthorised Black Burley tobacco cultivation and that the government’s stand on non-intervention in White Burley tobacco procurement must be clearly communicated to all stakeholders.