Prakasam Collector assures tobacco procurement, warns companies against ‘no bids’
Demanding that the government ensure procurement of tobacco at a remunerative price, farmers under the banner of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) blocked the main
Demanding that the government ensure procurement of tobacco at a remunerative price, farmers under the banner of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) blocked the main entrance to the Collectorate in Ongole on Saturday. The protest came as the relay hunger strike launched by the SKM entered its third day. Later, District Collector P. Raja Babu held discussions with the agitating farmers and assured them that every tobacco bale brought to the auction platforms would be purchased. He subsequently inspected the Ongole-1 and Ongole-2 tobacco auction centres and directed officials to implement the Chief Minister’s instructions to maintain an average auction price of at least ₹200 per kg.
The Collector advised farmers to bring different grades of tobacco to the auction platforms instead of offering only a single grade. He also instructed tobacco companies to inform farmers in advance about the grades they intended to purchase. Warning against the practice of placing ‘no bids’, he said stringent action would be taken against companies that deliberately refused to buy tobacco. Expressing displeasure over the companies’ continued attitude despite a special meeting convened by the Chief Minister on procurement procedures, Mr. Raja Babu said the authorities would not tolerate arbitrary rejection of farmers’ produce.
He added that the State government and the Tobacco Board had intervened to safeguard the interests of growers. The Collector said that while the Tobacco Board had authorised production of 140 million kg of tobacco, farmers in the region had produced around 230 million kg this season. Tobacco companies, he said, were citing excess production as the reason for restricting purchases. However, he warned that only those companies that actively participated in procurement this season would be allowed to take part in next year’s auctions. Raja Babu said farmers would be instructed to restrict production to 80 million kg next season and not exceed the prescribed limit.
At the same time, he cautioned that companies would not be allowed to purchase tobacco only in years when production was low and market demand was high. He urged the companies to come forward and procure the farmers’ produce in a fair and responsible manner.
The BriefWire