Farmers in the traditional tobacco growing areas in Prakasam and SPSR Nellore districts on Friday urged the Centre to prohibit trade of ‘Padu gulla’, top-leaf, bits and scrap of Virginia tobacco outside the auction platforms under the control of the Tobacco Board.
Farmers, who met under the leadership of Tobacco Board member Mareddy Subrahmanyeswara Reddy here, demanded introduction of new provisions in the existing Sections 13 and 13-A of Tobacco Board Act to prohibit the sales and purchases of padu gulla, top-leaf, bits and scrap of Virginia Tobacco by the growers as also traders.
At present, there are no regulations on these products that have a sizeable volume of about 10 to 15 million kg. These products were being sold by persons other than the registered tobacco growers. As a result, the growers incurred losses due to reduction in demand for their produce being sold in the authorised auction platforms. Due to unregulated sales, the Centre also lost revenue. Further, these unregulated transactions went into the making of illicit cigarettes, they explained.
