Tobacco farming is back in favour of farmers in the traditional growing areas in Prakasam and Nellore districts, thanks to soaring prices for various grades of leaf.
The low-grade varieties, which had fetched below ₹50 per kg three years ago forcing the State government to intervene in the market, have attracted buyers at a record price of over ₹150 per kg, thanks to the increase in the overseas demand.
Exporters, who used to shy away from the market following non-confirmation of orders from their counterparts abroad during most years in the past, have lapped up whatever leftover quantity of these varieties of tobacco brought by the farmers to the auction platforms in the Southern Light Soil (SLS) and Southern Black Soil (SBS) regions with COVID-19 completely receding.
