GUNTUR: The Tobacco Board has fixed the crop size at 136 million kg for the cultivation of Flue-Cured Virginia (FCV) tobacco in Andhra Pradesh. The crop season commenced on September 6 and would end by October 18. Applications for cultivating FCV tobacco will be accepted up to November 8, with the late fee.
Board secretary A Sridhar Babu issued notification as per the decisions were taken during a meeting held at the board head office in Guntur. Hence, the growers of FCV tobacco can now schedule the registration/renewal of their crops and licensing of barn operations for 2019-20. The Board will be considering renewal of the growers and barns’ licences and registrations on the basis of which they operated during 2018-19, and give fresh licences for 2019-20, subject to another fulfilment of conditions fixed by the officials.
No new licence will, however, be granted for the construction of new barns and no new registrations for FCV tobacco grower will be issued. New areas will not be allowed to grow it in the State. The board will take action against unauthorized cultivation of FCV tobacco, the formation of tobacco nurseries and construction of barns in 13 districts of AP. The board decided to grow 46 million kg in northern light soils, 46 million kg in southern light soils, 40 million kgs in northern black soils and 4 million kg in southern black soils.