The Guntur unit of Federation of All India Farmer Association (FAIFA) has urged the Central government to remove penalties on excess production of FCV tobacco in Andhra Pradesh, like it has done for Karnataka farmers.
The farmers association submitted a representation to Union Minister for Commerce and Industries Piyush Goyal in this regard and urged all Members of Parliament from Andhra Pradesh to look into the matter. Rajesh Agarwal, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, received the representation.
In their representation, the FAIFA members explained that a penalty was introduced more than a decade ago in case of overall crop production exceeding the authorised limit, resulting in lower prices during auction.
However, the situation has been reversed as the actual crop production is less than the limit fixed by the Tobacco Board even after the significant reduction in the authorized crop from the peak of 323 million kgs to 203 million kgs in the past decade.
Moreover, FCV crops in more than 50% of the total acreage of 53,000 hectares in Andhra Pradesh were severely damaged in the heavy rain triggered by Cyclone Mandous in December 2022, resulting in huge losses. Hence, there is an urgent need to review the policy, they pointed out.
FAIFA member Yashwanth Chidipothu and Tobacco Board member Mareddy Subrahmanyeswara Reddy explained that the Union Ministry of Commerce had considered a similar request made by the FCV farmers from Karnataka and waived the penalties. The Central government should consider the request of Andhra Pradesh farmers too, the ysaid.
CM writes letter
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, in a letter to the Union Minister on April 25 said that more than 50% of the FCV crop was damaged due to Cyclone Mandous. With no alternative crop, the farmers went for replanting of FCV crop, resulting in additional production cost. The farmers are not in a position to pay the penalties to the Tobacco Board for excess production, the Chief Minister pointed out.
Meanwhile, BJP MP and Tobacco Board member G.V.L. Narasimha Rao has requested the Central government to waive the penalties. Some YSRCP MPs have also made similar rqeusts to the Centre.
