VIJAYAWADA: Agriculture Minister P. Pulla Rao has called upon tobacco farmers to wage a relentless fight to achieve their demands and promised them his support.
Participating in the 17th Tobacco Farmers Award function, organised by the Tobacco Institute of India (TII), here on Friday, the Minister, along with MPs M. Venkateshwara Rao (Babu) and G. Gangaraju, MLAs, and members of the TII and Tobacco Board, felicitated 17 best farmers from Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Telangana.
Awards were presented to the farmers of Southern Black Cotton Soil, Southern Light Soil, Northern Light Soil, Karnataka Light Soil, Flue Cured Virginia (FCV) tobacco and Vinukonda region for Burley tobacco.
The selections were made by an eminent panel of judges from the Tobacco Board, Central Tobacco Research Institute (CTRI), ITC Limited, and other industries.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Pulla Rao asked the farmers to submit representations to the Ministers of State and Central governments and MPs on illegal sale of tobacco products (imported cigarettes), decreasing taxes on cigarettes, besides taking up the cause of farmers who suffered crop loss in the State.
“Our aim is to make agriculture profitable to farmers. As per the request of the farmers, Rythu Bhavan will be constructed in Amaravati and the matter would be discussed with the Chief Minister,” he said.
Mr. Babu said that imported cigarettes were being marketed unchecked, while the government was controlling Indian tobacco by imposing heavy taxes and discouraging farmers.
The farmers urged the government to continue giving subsidies and incentives, and follow uniform tax policy on all tobacco products. They also sought measures to check smuggling of foreign cigarettes.
MLAs Madhava Naidu, Venkateshwara Rao and Sivarama Raju, Tobacco Board member G. Satyanarayana, and CTRI scientist Damodar Reddy were among others who participated.
