ELURU: The Federation of All India Farmer Associations (FAIFA), a non-profit body representing millions of farmers and farmworkers from Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Gujarat and other states, on Monday appealed for the adoption of a consultative approach and inclusion of tobacco farmers in the policy framing procedure.
At a function organised by the Federation on the occasion of the World Tobacco Growers’ Day at Koyyalagudem, FAIFA vice-president Gadde Seshagiri said: “Farmers of alternative crops are already under huge distress.
Any coercive action, like forcing tobacco farmers to shift to other crops, will lead to deepening of agricultural distress in the country and worsen the plight of the farming community.”
FAIFA general secretary Murali Babu added the regulatory bodies should not deny the farmers their democratic right to voice their concerns. “Tobacco farmers should be invited to participate in policy formulation discussions taking place both in the country and globally to ensure that their views on issues are considered.”
According to FAIFA, India is the second largest producer of tobacco in the world. Tobacco is cultivated in 13 states and provides livelihood to 4.5 crore persons, many of whom are tribals and farm labourers.
The FAIFA said the government made ‘harsh’ tobacco regulations and imposed high taxation on cigarettes without caring for the outcome of such measures on livelihood of crores—particularly the farmers, retailers, rural poor and tribals engaged in its cultivation and have no other source of income.
Tobacco products give huge revenue to the country on which government collects tax of more than `40,000 crores annually.
Also, exports of tobacco and tobacco products earn the country foreign exchange
of about `6,000 crores
every year.