Tobacco farmers in the traditional tobacco-growing areas in Andhra Pradesh are upbeat as the traders lapped up bright and medium grade varieties offering premium prices during the ongoing auctions, both in the Southern Light Soil (SLS) and Southern Black Soil (SBS) regions.
The bright grade varieties of F1 and F2 have fetched a premium price of up to ₹185 per kg during the 31 days of auction in the platforms of Ongole I, Kondepi, Vellampalli, Podili, D.C. Palli, Kandukur I and Kandukur II, and 19 days of auction in the second phase platforms of Ongole II, Tangutur, Kaligiri and Kangiri in the districts of Nellore and Prakasam.
‘’All grades of tobacco are coming to the market. Even ripe ones, as also greens, are picked up by the traders. But there are no takers for the unbulk and NOG varieties,’, says SLS regional manager D. Venugopal after overseeing the conduct of auctions in Kandukur. The rejection rate is less than 10% now, he adds.
