INDIA
Prakasam tobacco farmers, upset over falling prices, have threatened to stall auctions, demanding intervention by the Union and State governments.
Prakasam district collector, P. Bhaskar, asked traders to bail out the farmers who would otherwise lose interest in growing the crop while stressing that action would be taken against those traders not entering the market after giving intent.
Tobacco growers had lost about two months during the peak of the marketing season, due to the pandemic lockdown. Prior to the lockdown tobacco prices had already dropped by about 30%.
“We were hoping fora revival of the market when it reopened outside the containment zones, but traders have formed themselves into a syndicate to deny them a fair price for their produce, contending that they have not yet got firm orders from overseas buyers,” said a group of farmers from the southern black soil (SBS) region.
“We will have no option but to stall the auctions if the lackluster trading continues during unlock 1.0 too,” said YSRCP farmers’ wing district president. Mareddy Subba Reddy.
Unseasonal rains in January also affected crop quality, with low-grade tobacco accounting for about 50% of the crop.