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Ongole: Tobacco buyers urged to pay better price
Minister Balineni Srinivasa Reddy inspecting tobacco auction in Ongole-2 auction centre on Monday
Minister for energy, environment, forests, science and technology, Balineni Srinivasa Reddy advised that the buyers should maintain competitive and stabilised prices for tobacco
Ongole: Minister for energy, environment, forests, science and technology, Balineni Srinivasa Reddy advised that the buyers should maintain competitive and stabilised prices for tobacco. Along with the Tobacco Board chairman Yadlapati Raghunath Babu, the minister inaugurated the auction of tobacco at the Ongole-2 centre on Monday and observed the process.
The minister said that the government involved the MARKFED last year as the farmers did not get a good price due to the production of a large quantity of low-grade tobacco. He said that this year a good amount of bright grade tobacco is produced and wished the farmers would get the best price. He advised the tobacco buyers to provide better price for the yield and keep the prices consistent so that there won't be any need for MARKFED involvement. He appreciated that the chairman Raghunath Babu is also working for the welfare of the farmers. He reiterated that the government is looking after the welfare of tobacco farmers.
Raghunath Babu said that the farmers suffered losses last year due to various unavoidable reasons including the unfavoured atmosphere and Covid-19.
He said that they involved MARKFED as the share of the low-grade tobacco is larger than others but purchased all leaf from farmers. He expressed happiness that this year the farmers were able to get bright grade tobacco and they would get the best price.
He said that they are working on making tobacco a profitable crop in future and announced that they would take the cooperation of State and Central governments for the welfare of the tobacco farmers. Giddalur MLA Anna Rambabu, Tobacco Board director K Vasudeva Rao, Tobacco Federation president V Basivireddy, Tobacco Board RM R Srinivasula Naidu, auction centre supervisor K Ramakrishna, ITC marketing manager KN Sivakumar, farmers' leaders and others also participated in the programme.
