National conference aims to better tobacco exports

Indian tobacco industry is focusing on augmenting exports from the current level of Rs 1,362 crore to Rs 2,800 crore by 2009. The industry exported 1.62 lakh tonnes of tobacco last fiscal and has targeted to export 3 lakh tonnes a year in four years down the line, according to Indian Tobacco Association president Ch Narendranath.

Speaking at the inaugural session of the National Conference on Tobacco-2005, Narendranath said that the tobacco industry has been registering an average growth of 16 per cent in exports in the last three years. Out of the total production, 70 per cent accounts for exports while 30 per cent for domestic consumption.

The three-day conference on 'Scientific strategies for sustainable growth of farm economy and export' is being organised by the Tobacco Board India, Indian Society for Tobacco Science (ISTS) and The Indian Tobacco Association at the ANGR Agricultural University. Apart from looking for 'safer tobaccos', the conference aims to send a message to the tobacco grower on good agricultural practices.

Tobacco Board executive director Suresh Babu said that the changing international scenario was giving a favourable position to India as the cost incurred for tobacco production was much cheaper when compared to advanced countries.

"People do not want to be associated with this industry but at least 13 million people are dependent on the tobacco industry that earns exports worth Rs 1,300 crore and excise revenue worth Rs 800 crore for the government," he said.

Vice-chancellor of Acharya N G Ranga Agricultural University, Raghuvardhan Reddy, said that with increasing worldwide preference for blended cigarettes, India has an edge over other countries in terms of low production cost, farm price, export price and conversion cost.

The need was to take advantage of this and augment exports apart from improving crop quality, producing flavoured varieties and bringing integrated pesticide management, he said.

Y Shivaji, honorary president, FCV Tobacco Growers Association said that it was essential to increase the purchasing power for farmers. Though Indian tobacco was of equal quality, the farmer in India was getting a raw deal at 80 cents per kg as compared to $1.62 per kg in the international market, he said.

K Deo Singh, president, ISTS and director, Central Tobacco Research Institute (CTRI) said, " We are working towards tobacco as an oil seed crop for the future." CTRI has also worked out a cheaper technology to extract 95 plus per cent solensol from tobacco that is used in the treatment of heart diseases and we also applied for a patent, he said.