KRRS urges CTB to fix price for procurement of tobacco

Mysore, Aug 30 (UNI) Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha (KRRS) today urged the Central Tobacco Board to fix the minimum price for tobacco at Rs 80 per kg and maximum at Rs 100 per kg ahead of the auction season scheduled to commence from September six.

Speaking to newspersons here, KRRS President K S Puttanniah said though the tobacco growing farmers had expected a yield of 100 million kgs this year, nature's fury and crop diseases had hit production and it was likely to touch only 75 million kgs.

He urged the Centre and state government to ensure that the Tobacco Board procured the produce directly from the farmers and middlemen were eliminated from the process. Some of the middlemen were trying to fix the price at Rs 65 per kg, he alleged.

Mr Puttanniah said the KRRS would resort to statewide agitation, if prices were not fixed before commencement of auction.

He appealed to the Tobacco Board not to fine farmers who had grown excess tobacco crop in their lands and also allow growers who had not obtained licence to sell their produce to take part in auctions.

He urged the state government to introduce proper laws to restrict mining activities, particularly sand mining. The state was losing crores of rupees due to illegal sand mining, especially in old Mysore region, he added.

Mr Puttanniah said the KRRS would take up natural farming awareness programme in 16 districts from September 13.

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