The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Tobacco exports to Russia to begin soon

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Wednesday, Jan 30, 2008
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Tobacco exports to Russia to begin soon

Ramesh Susarla

GUNTUR: Beatles in mustard exported to Russia led to stopping of all agri products exports from India to Russia and that had become a cause of concern for exporters of Tobacco also as it consumes low-grade tobacco mainly produced in Andhra Pradesh.

The Commerce Ministry, has however, taken up the matter with the Russian Government and the matter is likely to be settled according to the estimates of the tobacco industrialists. India exports about 20 million kg of tobacco from Central, Northern and Southern Black Soils (NBS, CBS and SBS) that account for Rs. 160-crore of business.

Tobacco Board Chairman J. Suresh Babu said that the board was confident that this issue would be sorted about amicably in favour of tobacco exports as all the vessels exporting tobacco are pre-fumigated – one of the conditions laid down now by Russia for restoring agri-produce imports from India.

China had similarly stopped tobacco imports from India in early 1980s and they could not be resumed till 2008 and this year the Prime Minster’s visit had paved the way for the exports again, but the exporters and farmers had a lesson to learn from that – maintaining quality in production and packaging.

As regards Russian ban on agri products, this issue even if remains unresolved, might be settled during the Russian Prime Minister’s visit on February 12 and 13, the exporters hope.

Meanwhile, the tobacco auctions in Andhra Pradesh will begin on February 1.

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