Virginia tobacco farmers boycott auction

Eluru, Andhra Pradesh, Apr 18 (UNI) The Virginia tobacco farmers today boycotted the tobacco auction, expressing their anger over the low tobacco price, and resorted to road blockade at Jangareddigudem bypass road in West Godavari district.

According to reports received by the headquarters here, the tobacco board had started auction at Jangareddigudem town at auction center number two this morning. The noted tobacco companies had participated in the auction.

As "the auction started around 1100 hours for Aswaraopet cluster, 1,200 bales of tobacco were shifted by the farmers.

However, till afternoon only 40 bales of tobacco were purchased by companies, including ITC. ITC, which used to purchase 70 per cent of the North Light Soil (NLS) Virginia tobacco every time, had purchased only five bales. The remaining 35 bales were purchased by various companies, the reports added.

The tobacco farmers stated that the tobacco companies were exploiting them by scaling down the price. The NLS Virginia Tobacco Farmers Association leaders stated the tobacco board had permitted the farmers to produce 50 million kg of tobacco in NLS area after discussing with the center. Hence, the farmers with a hope of higher income sowed the tobacco this time.

They stated that last year the price had been fixed at Rs 65 per kg and the farmers got an average rate of Rs 55 per kg However, this time, the companies reduced the price drastically, causing losses to the farmers. They stated that the companies came forward to pay Rs 55 instead of Rs 65 to the grade-I tobacco and Rs 45 instead of Rs 55 to grade-II tobacco.

The auction center officer Mr Ramachandra Rao tried to convince the farmers and asked them to participate in the auction. Even then, the farmers boycotted the auction saying that they would continue the stir until they get the required price of Rs 58 per kg.

Later, they resorted to rasta roko till 1400 hours. angareddigudem police as a precautionary measure deployed police force at the junction. However, the agitation went off peacefully.

UNI