Karnataka's tobacco demand touching new highs

Trade-led demand for tobacco grown on Karnataka's light soils for the 2005-06 crop season is estimated to be around 80 million kilograms.

With this strong demand, the Karnataka Tobacco Board has fixed the state's crop size for the 2005-06 at 72 million kgs, as against 65.95 million for the 2004-05 crop season.

The board has fixed the crop size for Andhra Pradesh""the largest tobacco growing state""at 135 million kg for the 2005-06 crop season, as against 108.16 million kg in 2004-05 season. The all-India crop size has been fixed at 270 million kg. 
 

PUFFING AWAY
Auction platform	Crop size	Quantity sold	Avg price/kg
HD Kote	5.42 million kg	8.03 million kg	Rs 48.70
Hunsur-1	7.04 million kg	10.39 million kg	Rs 45.93
Hunsur-2	6.53 million kg	9.69 million kg	Rs 46.11
Periyapatna-1	8.57 million kg	11.74 million kg	Rs 49.47
Periyapatna-2	7.35 million kg	9.62 million kg	Rs 48.29
Periyapatna-3	6.54 million kg	8.90 million kg	Rs 49.65
Kampalapura	11.82 million kg	16.91 million kg	Rs 47.22
Ramanthpura	10.71 million kg	14.48 million kg	Rs 45.62
Shimoga	1.97 million kg	5.35 lakh kg	Rs 37.46

The crop size was fixed at a meeting with the stakeholders which includes the growers' representatives, the trade body Indian Tobacco Association (ITA), cigarette manufacturers and officials from the Central government and concerned state governments.

The Tobacco board, it is learnt, has taken a decision to allow 1,247 unauthorised barns in Karnataka and 1,062 barns in Andhra Pradesh to be regularised, which coincides with sowing and nursery activity that has begun in the tobacco-growing regions in Karnataka.

As per the board's 2004-05 Mysore FCV (Flue Cured Virginia or traditional tobacco) final tobacco auction report, during the 2004-05 crop season, Karnataka farmers have sold 90 million kg as against an authorised crop size of 74 million kg in 10 auction platforms.