(a) whether the tobacco growers in the country, particularly in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, are facing acute problems on various fronts;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether any demand has been placed before the Union Government including biased attitude of the Tobacco Board in fixing the prices for tobacco; and
(d) if so, the details thereof and the prices fixed by the Tobacco Board for tobacco grown in different States?
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ANSWER
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THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY ( SHRI S. B. MOOKHERJEE )
(a) to (d) : A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.
STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (d) OF THE LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 166 FOR 12.12.2003 REGARDING PROBLEMS OF TOBACCO GROWERS
(a)&(b): All tobacco grown in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh are being auctioned every year successfully. As such, no acute problem exists in marketing of tobacco. However, some problems often put forth by the farmers to the Tobacco Board include:
i) Regularization of unauthorised barns in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.
ii) Penalties associated with excess & unauthorized production.
iii) Allocation of low production quotas in Central Black Soil/Northern Black Soil areas of Andhra Pradesh.
iv) Shortage of power supply in Northern Light Soil areas of Andhra Pradesh.
(c) The Tobacco Board does not fix prices for sale of tobacco. It only facilitates marketing of Flue Cured Virginia tobacco through auctions conducted at platforms managed by Tobacco Board.
(d) Does not arise.
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