Ingenuity of peasants in Prakasam district has come to the fore as the prolonged dry spell has pushed the growers in the traditional tobacco-growing areas to the brink during this rabi season.
In a painstaking effort, the farmers have pressed into service water tankers in order to ensure judicious use of water and at the same time obtain bright grade tobacco, the much-sought after one by domestic cigarette manufacturers and exporters.
“We had no option but to provide life-saving irrigation in view of 28.5% deficit rainfall in the district during the northeast monsoon season. Conventional flood irrigation means getting saline tobacco hence we took a conscious decision to provide water plant by plant even if it means additional labour cost,” says a group of farmers at Chekurapadu village near N.G.Padu. Though the dry spell is sure to hit productivity, the grade outturn will be very good this year, they feel taking time to talk to The Hindu.
No weed menace
this year
“We expect the production to dip to six quintals per acre as against 10 quintals last year,” they say, adding: “a positive development is that our fields this year are free from parasitic weed Orabanche cernua which was rampant last year.”
The cost of cultivation has shot up by 20% with supply of water through tankers alone costing them an additional ₹10,000 per acre. Cost of seedlings and tenancy rent too have gone up, says V.V. Prasad, a farmer leader from the Ongole II auction platform.
The trade should bail the farmers out by offering at least 20% higher prices over the ones prevailing last year, former Tobacco Board member Ch. Ranga Rao said, adding already a section of farmers has switched to Bengal gram.
‘Onus on Centre’
The Centre should ensure that big international players are back in action at the auction platforms for the farmers to benefit from the competitive trading environment, he says. The bright grade outturn is expected to be about 60% in the SBS region followed by medium grade 25% and low grade the rest, says SBS Regional Manager G. Umamaheswara Rao. Bright grade will be in the range of 40% to 45% of the total produce in SLS region, while the medium grade 30 to 35% and low grade the rest, says SLS regional manager G. Ratnasagar.
