Unauthorised tobacco growers in the State staged a demonstration outside the Tobacco Board’s regional office here on Tuesday demanding that the board fix a date to sell their produce in the auction yards.
Board officials had assured growers who had staged a demonstration on November 21 that a decision could come through by December 30.
General secretary of the Karnataka Rajya Tambaku Belegarara Hitarakshana Horata Samiti V. Basavaraju Kalkunike stated that more than six months had gone by after the harvest of the crop and the commodity weight was getting reduced every day. Delays would further cut down the weight as well as affect the quality of the commodity. It was unfortunate that neither the Tobacco Board nor elected representatives were taking up their cause.
The board must accord permission to sell the produce of the unregistered growers immediately and withdraw the 15 per cent penalty on the stock and an additional Rs. 2 per kg on the unregistered growers at the point of sale, they demanded.
