Tobacco productivity in Charotar declines

Productivity of land under tobacco crop has fallen in the last two years in Anand district, better known as Charotar in the tobacco industry.

Data available with the office of deputy director of agriculture at Anand shows that tobacco productivity in the district has fallen 20 per cent, from 2500 kg per hectare in 2001-02 to 2000 kg per hectare in 2003-04.

35 to 40 per cent of the crop area in Anand district is devoted to the tobacco crop.

The land under tobacco was about 36,790 hectares in 2001-02 with total production of 91,975 thousand kg. In the following year, 52,544 thousand kg was produced from 26,272 hectares. In 2003-04, the total production stood at 82,000 thousand kg from 41,000 hectares.

"There is a fall in productivity due to uncertain climatic changes. The weather has been hot for tobacco plants in the last couple of years. Late sowing of the crop may also be one of the reasons for the low productivity," said B N Patel, research scientist of Bidi Tobacco Research Station of Anand Agriculture University, Anand.

Tobacco produced in Gujarat is most suitable for bidi production and direct consumption through gutka and raw chewing. Gujarat is the largest producer of tobacco in the country with second highest land area devoted to tobacco after Andhra Pradesh every year.

Gujarat produced 19,900 thousand kg of tobacco from 1,10,000 hectares in 1999-2000, while Andhra Pradesh produced 19,000 thousand kg from 1,70,000 hectares, according to the data available from Directorate of Tobacco Development.

The other tobacco producing states in the country are Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Orissa, Tamil Nadu Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal. Tobacco produced in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh is more suitable for cigarette production.

"There has been good rainfall in central Gujarat so far this year. This is very good for the tobacco crop. The crop is at the nursery stage at present in major pockets of Charotar area which is also known as 'area of golden leaves'. This season will prove crucial to learn more about the reducing productivity, "said Patel.